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Friday, March 30, 2012

Are social media and smartphones really killing SMS and MMS?

Mark Bridge writes:

A couple of research reports this week have noted that text messaging and picture messaging growth is slowing down. Could this be the end for our trusty friend SMS and its bolder, brighter (and slightly flakier) sibling MMS?

Perhaps the beginning of the end, I’d say. But reports of their death are exaggerated.

Portio Research has just published the latest edition of ‘Mobile Messaging Futures’, its five-year forecast of messaging. It notes that the much-derided MMS service has until recently been the second-greatest revenue generating non-voice mobile service. For example, last year almost $31 billion of the total $202 billion generated worldwide by mobile messaging came from MMS. In total, MMS is expected to generate more than $250 billion from 2009 to 2016.

However, recently things haven’t been as good. Last year, mobile email generated more revenue than MMS.

John White of Portio Research said “The combination of smartphones and 3G has extended the novel idea of multimedia file sharing with appropriate simplicity. In addition, reducing mobile data costs make services/applications - such as social networking, mobile e-mail, photo-sharing clients and video streaming - much cheaper than MMS. Sharing multimedia with multiple ‘friends’ is virtually a click away, something MMS cannot offer - even now.”

Even despite this warning, the company isn’t forecasting an MMS decline - just slower growth.

The latest report at Strand Consult is headlined “Smartphones are helping kill SMS”. It’s blaming unified messaging for a decline in SMS, with consumers being offered a ‘seamless’ choice of SMS, MMS, email, Facebook, Skype and many other options. Instead of choosing to send a text message, they choose a contact and are offered a choice of options - and may even have an option selected by the device automatically.

Strand Consult’s research note says there’s “no doubt that these types of contact applications are moving SMS traffic away from the mobile operators”.

Yet SMS is still growing worldwide, albeit less dramatically than in previous years. Some networks may indeed be seeing a decline in messages sent from smartphones - but there’s still plenty happening in the world of SMS, from automated banking alerts to SMS voting.

‘Over the top’ instant messaging services, initiatives such as joyn and unified messaging apps are indeed a threat to SMS and MMS. But killing them?  I think these tough old messaging services are rather more robust than they may look.

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1 comments on article "Are social media and smartphones really killing SMS and MMS?"

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3/30/2012 11:53 PM

Text messaging is profitable for you marketing campaign due to its simplicity and lower costs.text messages have clearly been a revolution for people who are unable to make traditional phone calls, it is unclear whether text messages will take over traditional phone service.

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Opinion Articles

SpinVox visit offers a few clues about the technology

Mark Bridge writes:

So, dear reader, let’s start at the beginning. Once upon a time, a mere five years ago, there was SpinVox. A company created with help from entrepreneur Christina Domecq – whose surname offers a clue to her family’s background – and Daniel Doulton, the man behind the Psion series 5. (Sherry and portable computers; two of my favourite products. But I digress).

The company’s promise was simple: to turn voicemail messages into SMS text messages.

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That just about covers it

Mark Bridge writes:

In my last article I looked forward to a world of cyborgs… but feared that decent battery life could stifle my dreams. And this week I’m on a similar theme, despairing that the UK’s mobile coverage problems probably won’t be solved before the Silver Jubilee of Vodafone and Cellnet’s networks.

To illustrate my worries, let me tell you a story.

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What price for a hands-free conversation?

Iain Graham writes:

When you get up tomorrow morning and get in the car, why don't you screw up three £20 notes and lob 'em out of the window?!  Oh, and whilst you are at it, take out your driving licence, and put three points in the penalties column!!

Why would you do that, I hear you ask?

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The Singularity is… errm… on its way, I think

Mark Bridge writes:

I’m an optimist. I’m not quite sure why I’m wired that way but I’m perfectly happy with it. Much as you’d expect, I suppose. And although I tend not to tap-dance in the gutter when it’s raining, I firmly believe that life is like a musical.

That’s probably why I’m such a fan of what’s become known as ‘the Singularity’; a point when technology and evolution are expected to combine. As computers become smarter, so they’ll be able to build smarter computers themselves – and before you know it they’ll be repairing people and improving the design. If all goes well I’ll look like a combination of Robocop and Jude Law.

“Fascinating”, I hear you say. “Bring on the medical nanobots. But what’s all this got to do with mobile phones?”

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Web Browser vs. Application Stores

James Rosewell writes:

Anyone involved in the mobile industry will have hardly failed to notice the hype surrounding mobile application stores led by Apple. Application stores provide a really simple way for consumers to install applications on their mobile phones. They’re so simple I heard Iain Graham had used one the other week!

However they don’t solve the fundamental problem of handset compatibility.

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