Text messaging, also known as SMS (Short Message Service), has become an essential part of our daily communication. It allows us to send short messages to each other via mobile devices. But when did it become so popular?
The Early Days of Texting
The history of texting goes back to the early 1990s when the first text message was sent using a personal computer. It wasn't until 1992, when the first SMS message was sent using a mobile phone. However, texting wasn't widely used, as it was expensive and required a specific mobile phone plan. It wasn't until the late 1990s when texting became more affordable and accessible to the general public.
The Rise of Text Messaging
The popularity of text messaging started to rise in the early 2000s with the introduction of the T9 predictive text technology. T9 allowed users to type messages quicker and more efficiently by predicting the words they were trying to type. This increased the ease of texting and made it more accessible to people who weren't tech-savvy.
The introduction of unlimited texting plans in the mid-2000s was another turning point in the popularity of text messaging. This made it more affordable for people to send messages as much as they wanted without incurring extra fees. Carriers also allowed cross-network texting, making it possible for people to text anyone, regardless of their mobile network provider.
Texting in the Modern Age
Today, text messaging has become an integral part of our daily lives. According to recent statistics, more than 5 billion people worldwide use text messaging, with an estimated 22 billion texts sent every day. Text messaging has become the go-to method of communication, even replacing phone calls, especially in younger generations.
Conclusion
Text messaging has come a long way from its early days and has become an essential part of our daily communication. With the introduction of new technology and unlimited texting plans, it has become more accessible and affordable to the general public. Today, texting is the most popular method of communication worldwide, and its popularity is only set to rise in the future.
