OTT Messaging Used by 36% of U.S. Smartphone Users

Some 36 percent of U.S. smartphone owners report using messaging apps such as WhatsApp, Kik or iMessage, and 17 percent use apps that automatically delete sent messages such as Snapchat or Wickr, according to the Pew Research Center.

Nearly half (49 percent) of smartphone owners ages 18 to 29 use messaging apps, while 41 percent use apps that automatically delete sent messages.

“These apps are free, and when connected to Wi-Fi, they do not use up SMS (Short Messaging Service) or other data,” says the Pew Research Center.

Globally, more than half of mobile users are active users of such over the top messaging apps. Message volume tells the story: since 2013, OTT message volume has rapidly outpaced carrier-provided text messaging.

Predictably, that has had an effect on SMS revenue.