Why Texting May Soon Be a Thing of the Past

By SheSpeaksTeam Jan 31, 2014

Members of your household (and your phone bill) may disagree, but some new research is showing that texting may be on its way out as teens become more accustomed to sending messages via internet-based instant message services. The trend, which began in the US, is now spreading to the UK and it has been predicted that texting rates will decrease as years go by.

So why are people choosing these message services over the “old-fashioned” texting? The Guardian reports about some new data that shows a first-time ever decline in texting in the UK and how a new generation of smartphone users are becoming attracted to the perks of using internet-based message services like Snapchat and WhatsApp.

The data, coming from Deloitte's annual technology predictions report, also predicts we will see even more of a decline next year as more smartphone users are lured away from texting by messaging services. Teens are choosing message services over texting because they often offer extras like the ability to communicate with multiple people at once at a much lower price, utilize a vast array of brightly colored icons, send picture and videos.

The head of telecoms research at Deloitte, Paul Lee, explains how he believes messaging is the way of the future and we will only see an increase in the utilization of these services as time goes on. He says, “This is the first decline in texting in the UK since texting was invented. We have reached a tipping point. But the usage of mobile phones to send messages is stronger than ever. This year, trillions of instant messages will be sent in place of a text message.”

What do you think of the new data that shows a decline in texting and an increase in the use of internet-based message services?

Do you think texting is on its way out?