Is text messaging becoming obsolete? New study shows texting drop in Q3

The number of text messages sent in the US has seen a drop in this year's third quarter. Could services like iMessage and Facebook Messenger replace texts?

Text messaging has arguably eliminated the need for phone calls on a day-to-day basis. It has enabled users to communicate concise messages without sitting through forced (and sometimes painful) conversations. But with texting alternatives such as Apple’s iMessage are gaining popularity, will text messaging soon become obsolete? According to a report published Monday, American cell phone carriers are seeing a decline in the number of text messages sent by each customer on a monthly basis.

The data comes from Chetan Sharma, an independent mobile analyst and wireless carrier consultant, who wrote that the number of text message exchanges in the U.S. had dropped by about 2 percent in the third quarter. This may not seem like a significant drop, but it’s a sharp difference from the steady growth that text messaging had previously seen. Sharma says it’s too early to tell if this is the beginning of a decline, but it is the first time that text messaging has begun to dwindle in the United States.

Texting saw a noteworthy boost in 2011, when 2 trillion texts were sent in the U.S. by the year’s end. This marked a 14 percent increase from 2010, according to Forrester Research, which also notes that 6 billion messages were sent per day throughout the country last year.

This current decrease in SMS usage, which stands for “Short Message Service,” a service enabled by cell phone carriers, can largely be attributed to the rise of text messaging alternatives.

One such platform is Apple’s iMessage, which operates almost exactly like a text message but only communicates between Apple devices. Therefore, iMessage completely bypasses the carrier when sending text messages between iPhones.

Another perpetrator could be Facebook’s Messenger app, which essentially exists as the mobile presence for the social network’s instant messaging feature. Unlike iMessage, Facebook’s Messenger app can be used across multiple platforms, which could give it an advantage when it comes to text messaging alternatives.

Does this mean the era of texting is coming to an end? Not exactly. Texting is still a huge part of the way people communicate via mobile devices, but the emergence of these new messaging options could hopefully lead the way toward cheaper texting plans.

Source : http://www.digitaltrends.com/mobile/text-messaging-obsolete-dropped-q3/

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RIM introduces BBM Voice to help convince you and your friends to come back to BlackBerry

Research in Motion has added an interesting new feature to BlackBerry Messenger named BBM Voice, which lets you call fellow BBM users for free provided your phone is connected to a Wi-Fi network. It's a great idea, provided your friends also use BlackBerry phones.

Research in Motion knows it needs to win back the general public’s support, and it also knows that one way to do so is by coming up with a feature that will save someone money. BlackBerry Messenger was that feature several years ago, as it made use of the BlackBerry network plan you had to pay for anyway, and provided “free” text message conversation with fellow BlackBerry owners.

Now though, a high percentage of the dedicated BlackBerry owner’s friends use iPhones and Androids, rendering BBM a relic from better days past. Now RIM has come up with BBM Voice, which it claims is “for the times when you want to hear a friend’s laughter instead of reading LOL.”

That’s right, BBM has become Skype, as it now offers the chance to call your BBM friends through version 7 of the software, using only a Wi-Fi connection. There are no geographical borders and no time limits, and as it doesn’t count towards your monthly bill, no extra charges either.

RIM makes no mention of whether BBM Voice will break free from a Wi-Fi connection and use a 3G/4G data connection in the future. It’s hardly a surprise, as networks – particularly in the U.S. – are rarely enamored by features that lose them money.

BlackBerry Messenger will show who in your contact list is available to call using BBM Voice, and a split screen display lets you send text messages or files at the same time, plus the service is compatible with Bluetooth headsets too; setting it up perfectly as a way to work collaboratively while away from the office. Those not using a BlackBerry for business will appreciate the chance to avoid massive international roaming bills too.

So, free messages and free calls, all through a single app. Sounds great, right? It is, but – and here’s the problem – to take advantage of BBM Voice, your friends and colleagues all have to have BlackBerry phones too, and as we’ve established already, they’re now using iPhones and Androids.

BBM Voice is a beta program at the moment, but you can bet it will have been perfected by the time BlackBerry 10 arrives after January 30 next year, as being able to say “free calls and messages with BlackBerry 10” should help people take notice of the new OS. All RIM needs is for those people to convince their friends/family/acquaintances/dog it’s a good idea too.

Source : http://www.digitaltrends.com/mobile/rim-adds-free-calls-to-blackberry-messenger-with-bbm-voice/

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BlackBerry Messenger gets free voice chat feature

Voice chat: a welcome addition

BlackBerry owners are now able to voice chat with each other for free over BlackBerry Messenger.

The new feature, included in the BBM 7 update for the popular service, allows users to talk free-of-charge provided they are connected to a Wi-Fi network.

This addition will be welcomed by those with top-up phones and the frugal alike, as well as those travelling abroad and those who live in far-flung corners of the country where network signal is lacking.

Split screen

A 'split-screen' functionality has been integrated into the service to allow BBMers to switch between text and voice chat at will, or use both together simultaneously. Handy when sending pictures…and perhaps in situations where there's more to tell than you can let on over the phone.

BBM 7 also allows BlackBerry owners to use other functions of their device while in voice chat, such as reading texts and emails and navigating through apps.

Another crucial feature in BBM 7 is BlackBerry ID, which backs up users' BBM profiles, groups and contacts. This information is automatically restored when a new BlackBerry device is activated, allowing for hassle-free phone-switching.

Currently the BBM 7 beta is only available to owners of BlackBerry 6 OS devices and higher, with RIM planning to bring the feature to BlackBerry 5 and BlackBerry 10 at a later date. Users can sign up to the BBM7 beta by going to BlackBerry's Beta Zone at http://techradar.com/www.blackberry.com/betazone

Source : http://www.techradar.com/news/phone-and-communications/mobile-phones/blackberry-messenger-gets-free-voice-chat-feature-1112480

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Microsoft killing Windows Live Messenger, will replace it with Skype

Microsoft is reportedly putting Windows Live Messenger to rest, and replacing the messaging client with Skype.

We got a first glimpse of Microsoft’s plans for their $8.5 billion purchase of Skype late last month when Microsoft enabled Facebook, Hotmail, and Windows Live logins through Skype. Now The Verge has caught wind from his sources that Microsoft may be taking this a step further by replacing Windows Live Messenger with Skype altogether.

The announcement that Windows Live Messenger will be put to rest after thirteen years since its founding, first introduced as MSN Messenger in 1999, may come as early as this week. The report adds that Windows Live Messenger’s backend is slowly being integrated into Skype, which means that the only change for existing Windows Live users is that they’ll have to login through Skype’s client.

Skype has already been married into Windows 8 as a default native app to the Microsoft operating system, and Microsoft is free to do with Skype as it wishes — so the decision makes sense. The news of Windows Live Messenger’s retirement however isn’t official just yet and users have yet to be notified of Microsoft’s intentions, so as for the answer to how tightly integrated Skype will be with Microsoft’s products, we’ll have to update you once we hear back from a spokesperson.

Windows Live Messenger has been in use by 300 million users per month in 2010, although we suspect that number has dwindled due to new competition Google Talk and Hangouts, Facebook Messenger, and of course the many mobile messaging apps on the market today. Skype’s CEO, Tony Bates revealed the latest figures show it had 250 million monthly users in May of this year.

Skype has been subject to a number of face lifts as of late. We’ve been content with the majority of the updates, but there have been just a couple of caveats. For instance all of the cross-platform integration means the Skype contact list is consequently flooded with friends, so users are either left to clean up with lists, deal with it, or forego using the new login integrations altogether. 

But the pros outweigh the cons. Messaging Facebook and Live Messenger friends on the Skype client is admittedly a far better experience. Skype acts as a prompt to video call friends you otherwise might not using Facebook. 

Pushing Windows Live Messenger clearly wasn’t in the forefront of Microsoft’s mind with the service since it’s Skype acquisition. With a robust messaging and video calling service like Skype, Microsoft has room to offer more comprehensive monetization strategies, like its conversation ads rolled out in June, as it doubles up Skype’s user base with existing Messenger users.

Source : http://www.digitaltrends.com/mobile/say-good-bye-to-windows-live-messenger-and-hello-to-skype-messenger/

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Facebook Messenger app for iOS updated

The Messenger app now plays nice with the iPhone 5

Facebook has tweaked its Messenger app for iOS.

The changes mirror those rolled out to the Android version of the instant messaging application on September 20.

The most important of which will allow iPhone, iPad and iPad touch users to swipe to the left to see which of their contacts is online and available

Friend bump

Another update enables users to keep their favourite friends at the top of the online list to reduce the need to scroll through the entire contacts list.

Messages now appear as speech bubbles, giving conversations an altogether more attractive look, similar to the iOS Messages and SMS applications.

The new version of Messenger, which has also been optimised for the iPhone 5's 4-inch widescreen, also brings improved speed and reliability, along with a host of bug fixes.

It can be downloaded now from the App Store.

Source : http://www.techradar.com/news/software/applications/facebook-messenger-app-for-ios-updated-1100818

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