When Was the First Text Message Sent? When Did Smartphones Come Out? History of Text Messaging FAQs
It's been over 25 years since the first text message was sent in 1992. Text messaging is now an integral part of day-to-day communications.
We now send 23 billion text messages every day. Below is a brief history of text messaging and smartphones with answers to frequently asked questions.
Evolution and History of Text Messaging Frequently Asked Questions:
When was text messaging invented?
SMS text messaging was invented in 1984. The SMS concept was first developed in the Franco-German GSM cooperation in 1984 by Friedhelm Hillebrand and Bernard Ghillebaert.
When did texting become popular?
Text messaging started in 1999 when users started texting across different carrier networks. By the year 2000 text messaging became popular. Message volumes were averaging around 35 texts per person per month in the U.S.
Who invented text messaging?
Friedhelm Hillebrand and Bernard Ghillebaert invented SMS text messaging as a concept at the Franco-German GSM cooperation in 1984.
When was the first text message sent?
The first text message was sent on December 3rd, 1992. Neil Papworth sent the first text message "Merry Christmas" to Richard Jarvis at Vodafone.
When was the first texting phone invented?
The first true texting phone came out in 1997 when Nokia released the 90001 Communicator with a full QWERTY keyboard.
How many text messages are sent every day?
At last count, people send roughly 23 billion text messages every day, globally. On average, American adults send and receive 18 billion texts every day. That's 541 billion texts every month and 6.5 trillion texts every year.
Smartphone History Frequently Asked Questions:
When was the first phone in the world invented?
Alexander Graham Bell won the first U.S. patent for the phone in 1876. But the Italian innovator Antonio Meucci is credited with inventing the first basic phone in 1849. Frenchman Charles Bourseul also devised a phone in 1854.
When did the first cell phone come out?
The first handheld cell phone (The Motorola DynaTAC 8000X) came out in 1983. It was the first handheld cell phone that allowed people to make long-distance calls.
What was the first flip phone?
The first ever clamshell flip phone was the Motorola StarTAC, first released on January 3, 1996.
Who invented the first smartphone?
IBM invented the world's first smartphone in 1992. They called it the Simon Personal Communicator (SPC).
When was the first smartphone released?
The first touchscreen smartphone was released in 1994 when IBM took the Simon Personal Communicator to the market.
How much did the first smartphone cost?
The first smartphone, the Simon Personal Communicator (SPC) cost $1100.
What was the first touchscreen phone?
The IBM Simon Personal Communicator was also the first touchscreen phone. Developed in 1992 and released in 1994.
When did smartphones become popular?
Smartphones became popular in 2007 with Steve Jobs and the release of Apple’s iPhone. Many consider it the first fully realized smartphone. The term “smartphone” became commonplace as smartphones themselves became more affordable and accessible throughout the 2000s.
Was the iPhone the first smartphone?
The iPhone was not the first smartphone. But Apple and its iPhone are credited with popularizing smartphones in 2007 with the release of the iPhone 2G, iPhone 1, or original iPhone.
Early Text Messaging History and Evolution
1984
Friedhelm Hillebrand and Bernard Ghillebaert of The Franco-German GSM cooperation develop the modern text message.
1992
Neil Papworth, a former developer at Sema Group Telecoms sends the first text message - "Merry Christmas" to Richard Jarvis at Vodafone.
1993
Nokia becomes the first cellular phone manufacturer to support sending text messages.
1994
Mobile phone networks begin offering person-to-person (P2P) SMS text messaging.
1994
IBM launches Simon, the world’s first smartphone with a touchscreen.
1995
Cliff Kushler, co-founder of Tegic invents T9, "Text on 9 keys." The predictive text technology displays words with a single key press.
1997
Nokia releases the 9000i Communicator. The first mobile device with a full QWERTY keyboard.
1999
Users start exchanging text messages between different networks. Cross-network text messaging makes it possible for businesses to start texting with their customers.
1999
5 and 6-digit shortcodes were invented for bulk text messaging.
2003
American Idol utilizes shortcode text blasts as part of the first “Text to Vote” campaign.
2005
SMS undergoes a technical evolution with SIM toolkit data download, enhanced messaging service, voice mail management, and language tables (in SMG/3GPP).
Modern Text Messaging History and Evolution
June 2007
The first modern smartphone, the iPhone is released.
June 2007
Rich Communication Services (RCS) is invented.
November 2007
The HTC Dream is unveiled, making it the first commercial Android phone with an Android operating system.
February 2008
GSMA becomes project home for RCS
May 2009
WhatsApp Founded
2010
“Texting” is officially added to the dictionary as a verb.
2011
Cliff Kushler invents Swype. This enables smartphone users with touchscreens to drag their fingers to connect the dots between numbers and letters to create words.
February 2015
Facebook announces its intention to acquire WhatsApp.
April 2015
Google launches Project Fi, later known as Google Fi - a phone plan by Google.
September 2015
Google acquires Jibe Mobile and announces on its blog its commitment to RCS as “the latest standard in carrier messaging.”
Recent Text Messaging History and Evolution
September 2016
Google releases Allo, an instant messaging mobile app. Allo utilizes phone numbers as identifiers and allows users to exchange messages, files, voice notes, and images.
November 2016
GSMA releases RCS Universal Profile 1.0. The release includes core features including:
- Capability discovery with interoperability between regions
- Chat
- Group chat
- File transfer
- Audio messaging
- Video sharing
- Multi-device
- Enriched calling
- Location share and live sketching
November 2016
Google announces a partnership with Sprint. Both companies plan to bring RCS to all android devices on their networks. Their roll-out is for the Messenger App for Android and the Google Jibe platform.
January 2017
The CTIA updates Application-to-Person A2P standards. This is in preparation for the use of 10 DLC (10-digit long codes) as bulk text messaging phone numbers.
February 2017
Google rebrands Messenger, the default texting app on all Android devices, as Android Messages. This is in preparation for RCS and more advanced messaging functionality.
July 2017
RCS Universal Profile 2.0 Released. This release includes Messaging as a Platform (MaaP), APIs, plug-in integration, improved authentication, and greater app security.
December 2017
RCS Universal Profile 2.1 Released
March 2018
Apple Business Chat was initially launched in 2018. It has since been rebranded as Apple Messages for Business.
May 2018
RCS Universal Profile 2.2 Released
June 2018
T-Mobile adopts RCS Universal Profile 1.0
November 2018
Google rebrands its phone plan Project Fi as Google Fi and adds support for iPhones.
December 2018
RCS Universal Profile 2.3 Released
December 2018
FCC classifies texting as an information service, not a telecom service
January 2019
Google announces the launch of RCS on the Google Fi network.
March 2019
Google shutters Allo and transfers the team to work on its wider RCS implementation.
April 2019
Verizon becomes the first Tier 1 carrier to roll out a commercial 10DLC product.
June 2019
Google announces it will begin opting in subscribers to use RCS within its own native Messages app. This circumvents the need to wait for carrier-specific deployments. Subscribers in the UK and France are the first to receive the RCS opt-in option.
July 2019
The CTIA releases A2P 10DLC commercial best practices guidelines.
October 2019
The big four telecom providers AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile, and Verizon issued a joint press release. This press release states their intention to roll out RCS across their networks. They call the initiative CCMI, short for the “Cross-Carrier Messaging Initiative.”
October 2019
RCS Universal Standard 2.4 Released. The release removes plug-in integration and includes integrated seamless web views.
November 2019
Google begins rolling out RCS to Android users in the UK and France.
December 2019
Google finishes rollout of RCS to all Android users in the U.S ahead of schedule.
2020
AT&T, Sprint, & T-Mobile reportedly release commercial 10DLC products.