For those of you of a certain age, brace yourself - as today marks 30 years since the very first text message was sent!
According to new figures, one in three people still rely on SMS messaging every single day, despite the widespread availability of alternative messaging services.
Poll: Do you still send SMS text messages? https://t.co/vSjrG7M5pF
— TheJournal.ie (@thejournal_ie) December 3, 2022
With popular services, such as WhatsApp and Viber, as well as instant messaging apps such as Skype, it's amazing to think that text messaging can still compete.
As reported by RTÉ, conclusive data from the communications firm Infobip, showed that 30% of those surveyed said they sent text messages daily, with 54% saying they used SMS as a way of reaching people who were not available on alternative platforms.
Neil Papworth, a renowned engineer, holds the distinction of sending the world's very first SMS message on 3 December 1992 - which read, "Merry Christmas".
Speaking about the figures, Nikhil Shoorji of Infobip UK, said: "In the 30 years since SMS text messaging has been in use, messaging technology has expanded exponentially.
"Users now have an abundance of choice ranging from WhatsApp to Skype.
"While some might argue that SMS has lost ground in the messaging platform popularity race, the results of our research show quite the opposite. Not only does SMS still hold an important place in users' everyday lives, it is also popular among the younger Generation Z.
"This means that the power of SMS endures and will continue to be one of the core platforms for communications moving forward - something brands need to keep in mind or miss out on engaging with a sizeable share of their customer base."
Further revelations from the data collected have highlighted a stark figure for heartbroken individuals, as 7% revealed they have been dumped via text message!
