An entire generation with incredible thumb dexterity may be waving good bye and good riddance to their favorite mode of communication. The Short Message Service (SMS) protocol may soon be going the way of the Atari 2600 video gaming console and the VCR, thanks in part to the new wave of 3G and 4G messaging applications for smartphones.

Smartphone and tablet manufacturers, as well as third-party software developers are taking advantage of the current connectivity options available to mobile users to bring advanced messaging options that obliterate text messaging. Some of these apps are built into mobile operating systems, such as iMessages for Apple iOS mobile devices like the iPhone and iPad. New third-party smartphone messenger applications such as LiveProfile, WhatsApp and Facebook Chat offer cross-platform functionality and advanced features that redefine text-based communications.


It is reasonable to say that SMS was one of the reasons behind the meteoric rise of cell phone acquisitions by consumers since the mid-1990s. SMS has been a staple of the Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) standard, which currently serves approximately 80% of the world's population. When Third Generation (3G) mobile communication standards were introduced, SMS was included in its implementation. Fourth Generation (4G) and Long-Term Evolution (LTE) networks are expected to carry some level of SMS support. SMS gateways not only connect cell phone users, they also interact with e-mail, satellite communications, banking systems, Internet applications, and emergency management systems. Text-based messaging spawned "TextSpeak", a cryptic language favoured by teenagers, and it’s extremely short message length inspired the revolutionary online social network Twitter.

Despite its ubiquity, SMS is losing ground to mobile apps which take advantage of WiFi, 3G, 4G, and LTE connectivity to improve upon the text-based messaging experience. Proprietary messaging platforms such as Research in Motion's BlackBerry Messenger (BBM) have been extremely successful thanks to advanced features. BBM has been credited with taking the BlackBerry brand outside of its former stuffy corporate image and into the hands of average consumers worldwide.

There are some features that are becoming standard within the realm of smartphone messenger apps. Message encryption, something virtually impossible in SMS communications, is a welcome improvement. Intuitive group interaction, geo-location, multimedia capabilities, real-time messaging, social networking, and receipt confirmation are other nifty aspects of the new smartphone messaging paradigm.

The omnipresence of GSM and SMS networks and the value they bring to many of the world's communities -millions of text messages are delivered during natural disasters- make it unlikely for SMS platforms to entirely disappear, but as 3G and 4G networks continue their growth, SMS use will probably dwindle away.