The past few years have seen consumers’ behaviours, expectations and overall perceptions of messaging evolve, with mobile users now looking for a richer messaging experience to communicate and connect.
This evolution is backed by results of Acision’s latest mobile messaging research, which clearly demonstrates that consumers are opting to use an ever-increasing range of services to communicate.
The global messaging company reveals that 80% of UK smartphone owners are now using over-the-top (OTT) or instant messaging (IM) services, with 76% of these using both SMS and OTT/IM messaging services together. This indicates a nation of “eclectic communicators”, with 76% of smartphone owners using multiple messaging services simultaneously each day, and 40% using them all the time.
The second edition of Acision’s annual research, which analyses messaging behaviours and requirements of smartphone users in the UK, also confirmed that text messaging is still the superior messaging service, with 96% using SMS today. In fact, dependence on SMS is extremely high, with 76% stating they cannot do without SMS, and 41% stating they would be lost without it.
However, while SMS is clearly needed for the majority of mobile users, IM/OTT apps are gaining ground, generating 61% of messaging traffic across the numerous apps. With over half of survey respondents stating they don’t mind using multiple messaging services as they represent communities they have signed up for, 60% also claimed they cannot do without OTT/IM messaging.
So, why are smartphone owners using multiple messaging apps and what more can be done to ensure consumers remain loyal to one service? Acision’s research shows that consumers set a combination of requirements across cost, rich features and service quality; with the added assurance for all that they can reach anyone at any time.
Today, no single service on the market can provide this, so using SMS with OTT/IM services simultaneously is the best way to cover all bases.
With the proven high dependency on SMS as the only universal service that will work instantly across all phones at any time, the respondents claimed reliability (36%) and reach (34%) as key service qualities which made it their preferred reason to use it.
However, reasons to use OTT/IM included speed (53%) and cost 47%. Furthermore, over one third enjoy the rich features associated with IM, including “sent/received” notifications (39%), seeing a reply being written (34%) and sharing rich content, such as videos and pictures (29%).
“We are seeing a trend where today’s consumers are messaging more over a number of different platforms and via multiple devices. This proves consumers want something ‘extra’ – a combination of universal reach, uncompromised reliability and enriched features – which can only be fulfilled today by using multiple services concurrently,” says JF Sullivan, chief marketing officer at Acision.
“This so-called ‘schizophrenic’ messaging, shows consumer’s hop from one service to another, depending on shifting trends and usage of contacts, instigating a fragmented market. While text has been king for over 20 years, the difference between service usage is beginning to even out.
“However, while the market is moving rapidly, there is a huge untapped opportunity for operators to launch one consolidated messaging platform which combines all consumer requirements and can take the messaging land grab.”
The global messaging company reveals that 80% of UK smartphone owners are now using over-the-top (OTT) or instant messaging (IM) services, with 76% of these using both SMS and OTT/IM messaging services together. This indicates a nation of “eclectic communicators”, with 76% of smartphone owners using multiple messaging services simultaneously each day, and 40% using them all the time.
The second edition of Acision’s annual research, which analyses messaging behaviours and requirements of smartphone users in the UK, also confirmed that text messaging is still the superior messaging service, with 96% using SMS today. In fact, dependence on SMS is extremely high, with 76% stating they cannot do without SMS, and 41% stating they would be lost without it.
However, while SMS is clearly needed for the majority of mobile users, IM/OTT apps are gaining ground, generating 61% of messaging traffic across the numerous apps. With over half of survey respondents stating they don’t mind using multiple messaging services as they represent communities they have signed up for, 60% also claimed they cannot do without OTT/IM messaging.
So, why are smartphone owners using multiple messaging apps and what more can be done to ensure consumers remain loyal to one service? Acision’s research shows that consumers set a combination of requirements across cost, rich features and service quality; with the added assurance for all that they can reach anyone at any time.
Today, no single service on the market can provide this, so using SMS with OTT/IM services simultaneously is the best way to cover all bases.
With the proven high dependency on SMS as the only universal service that will work instantly across all phones at any time, the respondents claimed reliability (36%) and reach (34%) as key service qualities which made it their preferred reason to use it.
However, reasons to use OTT/IM included speed (53%) and cost 47%. Furthermore, over one third enjoy the rich features associated with IM, including “sent/received” notifications (39%), seeing a reply being written (34%) and sharing rich content, such as videos and pictures (29%).
“We are seeing a trend where today’s consumers are messaging more over a number of different platforms and via multiple devices. This proves consumers want something ‘extra’ – a combination of universal reach, uncompromised reliability and enriched features – which can only be fulfilled today by using multiple services concurrently,” says JF Sullivan, chief marketing officer at Acision.
“This so-called ‘schizophrenic’ messaging, shows consumer’s hop from one service to another, depending on shifting trends and usage of contacts, instigating a fragmented market. While text has been king for over 20 years, the difference between service usage is beginning to even out.
“However, while the market is moving rapidly, there is a huge untapped opportunity for operators to launch one consolidated messaging platform which combines all consumer requirements and can take the messaging land grab.”