Instant messaging takes over texting for the first time

160 billion instant messages were sent in the UK in 2013, overtaking the number of text messages sent for the first time, according to new research from Deloitte.

The company’s latest annual technology predictions report estimates that last year, the number of texts sent fell by 7 billion to 145 billion, and by the end of this year, will drop by a further 5 billion.

Meanwhile, instant messaging via services such as WhatsApp and Blackberry Messenger is expected to continue to thrive, reaching 300 billion by the end of 2014 – more than twice the annual number of texts.

Furthermore, the research predicts that globally, 50 billion instant messages will be sent each day, compared with just 21 billion texts.

“This is the first decline in texting in the UK since texting was invented,” said Paul Lee, head of telecoms research at Deloitte.

“We have reached a tipping point. But the usage of mobile phones to send messages is stronger than ever. This year trillions of instant messages will be sent in place of a text message.”