The SMS turns 20: Do you still text? [POLL]
Believe it or not, on this day in 1992 the first text arrived on Richard Jarvis’ cellphone. The rest, as they say, is history. The SMS became a modern day telegraph line connecting millions in the space of 160 characters. In its rise to prominence it has changed the way we use phones to communicate and shaped the way we socialize, but are we entering a post-SMS era?
The numbers don’t lie. According to AllThingsD, while people still send trillions of texts a year, overall SMS traffic is down as smartphone users turn to replacements such as email and direct messaging services such as iMessage and Skype. Social media has become an ever larger part of the way we communicate with Twitter and Facebook offering yet another alternative.
But for many, the text still reigns. I don’t have any data to back it up, but I would reckon that text messaging makes up the majority of my daily communications (outside of work). It is still the most convenient way to get in touch with practically anyone. You don’t have to worry about having a compatible phone or app. Everyone knows how to text (even my mom gets it at this point). And even if somedays I find myself emailing more or tooling around on Facebook, the text is still my preferred method of getting in touch.
So I post the question to you, readers. Are you still texting? More? Less? Are you using other apps to stay in touch with friends and family? Sound off in the poll and comments below.
[polldaddy poll=6740020]