Although they are an integral part of our lives, messaging platforms have not been around for a long time. From the simple beginnings of Mxit to the almost vital WhatsApp, there have been many iterations and tweaks over the years. Here's a look at how far messaging platforms have come.
SMS - the beginning
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(Image credit: Vodafone) Although unlike the instant messaging services we use today, SMS (Short Message Service) was the starting point for mobile messaging. With its roots in radiotelegraphy, SMS has become part of the Global System suite of standards for mobile communications. The first SMS was sent in 1992 and was quickly adopted by new mobile phone users. Since early phones did not have a qwerty keyboard, the SMS "language" became popular to minimize the effort of typing words using the three-button method on older cell phones. While this did not reduce the English language as many believed, the SMS abbreviation paved the way for later text messaging. Although no longer the most common form of messaging, and overtaken by Internet messaging services, SMS is still popular in South Africa for direct marketing or important service messages.
MXIT - Starting Instant Messaging
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(Image credit: Twitter) Mxit: A proudly South African invention and one of the first instant messaging platforms. First released in 2005, Mxit has made messaging cheaper and more accessible, especially for all-in-one phone users. It also made it fun, going online and seeing who was participating and joining chat rooms had never been an option with texting. He also worked on early internet telephony options including CSD, GPRS which were essential for South Africans where the internet was improving at a snail's pace. Although it was mainly used by South Africans, the platform had users all over the world, with around 7,4 million subscribers at its peak. A decline in the number of users and the rise of newer and cheaper messaging options are slowly seeing the platform decline. The company closed in 2015 and the service officially ended in 2016.
BBM: the rise of instant messaging
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(Image credit: bbm) Blackberry Messenger (BBM) was the last selling point for qwerty phones. Marketed to businessmen, this instant messaging feature and cheap contract options have made the Blackberry Bold a must-have. From the simplicity of sharing your BBM PIN to connect, to the interactive benefit of status updates, BBM has acted as a social network as well as a more affordable messaging service. However, Blackberry rested on its laurels and was quickly eclipsed by smartphones with access to a similar service: WhatsApp. Without innovating to respond to the market, even BBM was unable to keep the business afloat and closed in 2019.
WhatsApp
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(Image credit: Shutterstock) WhatsApp, the brainchild of an old Yahoo! employed, it came to people's phones starting in 2010. Since South Africa was still under the control of multifunction phones or Blackberry, the pickup took a little longer here. The founders wanted to create the platform for iPhones because the phone did not have internal instant messaging integration. Like BBM, it had statuses and people were alerted when messages arrived. As Apple improved its phones and other Android smartphones overtook Blackberry, WhatsApp became the replacement instant messaging service. Since its creation and its acquisition by Facebook, WhatsApp has continued to innovate to meet the new demands for messaging services. These include the addition of video calling options, distribution lists, groups, work accounts, and encrypted messaging. With this kind of support, despite some security concerns, WhatsApp has yet to be completely canceled by another messaging service in most countries, and it is the number one messaging app in South Africa.
WeChat: a Chinese alternative
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(Image credit: wechat) China has created its own versions of all the popular messaging and social media sites due to its tight control over information. Although most of them stay strictly within their borders, WeChat has gone global. Launched in 2011, there was a period when WeChat was getting a big push in countries around the world, including South Africa. With additional features, including payment options, the app gained popularity because it offered things that others did not. It has also been picked up by large companies and government agencies, promoting its use. Although it never reaches the heights of WhatsApp, the platform continues to be used in the country.
Facebook Messenger - don't forget
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(Image credit: Facebook) Remember when Facebook didn't have a chat option? It didn't last long, but it explains why some of your memories lead to weird chatter on the wall. Facebook introduced the first version of its chat feature in 2008, revamping and officially launching Facebook Messenger in 2010 and an app in 2011. While it never became the core messaging app for most people, it was enthusiastically adopted and , sometimes forced on Facebook users (especially the app). While Facebook as a company doesn't need a messaging app here, since it owns WhatsApp, obviously keeping Facebook's original platform relevant across the board is still important. Facebook has kept the service up to date, including video calls, file sharing, emojis, and end-to-end encryption in its operation. More recently, it included rooms, allowing for group discussions and conference calls.
Telegram: the emergence of secure messaging
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(Image credit: Telegram) One of the newer Telegram messaging services, a cloud-based service, hasn't really taken off in South Africa. Globally, it has 40 million users as of 2020. Marketed as being more secure than other messaging platforms, it pulls some punches with its higher encryption. Telegram uses client-server encryption during transit, and data is encrypted at rest. However, Telegram's developers have the encryption keys, and since the company is based in Russia, this has affected potential users. The platform has all the same features as its counterparts, with the addition of video calls this year. Users also have optional end-to-end encrypted "secret" chats. These leave no trace on the Telegrams servers, are not in the cloud and cannot be transmitted.