It's time to stop texting

Just published. Abstract:

Suppose you had two choices when chatting with your friends. The first will give you a great messaging experience, but you’ll need to sign up for a new app. The second requires no sign-up, but sometimes fails to deliver messages; sends tiny, blurry photos and videos; only works on your phone; confuses all your friends; and offers no privacy whatsoever.

That choice is real. And if you’re like most people in the US (and millions of others worldwide), you choose that second option every day by using SMS.

I still remember the day when it dawned on me that everyone, like even cool people, could get SMS messages. It was that tipping point when enough people had phones 24/7 and suddenly it wasn't a very nerdy thing to do. Pre this time, the idea of sending an email to ask someone out for a date for example was just laughable. But a txt? It was very different. Still to this day if you meet someone new and get "their number" it's the way.

> (and millions of others worldwide)

Where else do SMS remain common?

At least here in Europe they've been relegated to automatic communications, like receiving 2-factor codes. No one uses them for messaging. I think the app of choice is different per country, but I haven't met any non American that's still used to SMS.

The author addresses it after discussing iMessage.

I understand the concerns that they are bringing up, but I feel like saying just download another app completely misses the point of my SMS is so popular.

It is just... there. It does what I need it to do without standing in my way of communicating. It is also a standard that is not at the whim of a specific company shutting down a major service (that I am aware of) to continue communicating.

I struggled for a while after my mom got an iPhone for her to understand the App Store. I feel like she may not fully be there but is using an iPad now solely instead of a computer so its close...ish.

Maybe this is because I do use an iPhone and most people I communicate with are using iMessage that I just don't see the other issues mentioned here. But because I use iMessage, if for some reason apple were to shut down that service... I would just revert back to using SMS and communication will mostly just continue.

Finally... If I want to start talking to a new friend I meet at the bar. I just give them my number, no conversation about which app they use or OS ever needs to happen.

Edit: I know countries outside of the US are less dependent on SMS/iMessage. But it just feels like jumping through extra hoops for something that is built in.