FREEDOM OF CONNECTIVITY BY: MELISSA HENDERSON
The future of messaging is upon us as three entities race to the finish line to own the marketplace. What I am talking about is the luxury of texting anybody, on any platform without having to switch programs could actually become the norm, if big tech companies unite. I’ll be highlighting how the future of messaging involves standardizing Rich Communication Services (RCS) among telecoms (Verizon, AT&T, Google) and Over-The-Top (OTT) platforms (WhatsApp, We Chat, Facebook), so that consumers like us can enjoy a better user experience. Today most people communicate within the realm of the green bubble and blue bubble SMS communication signals. If you’re on a blue bubble, you’re most likely sending a message from an iOs/ Apple system, and are exposed to the many privileges of having a technologically-savvy phone that is only less than 15% of the world’s usage. However, with over 80% of the market share, Android is the dominant smartphone when it comes to the penetration rate, as well as the cost of the technology. According to Es Lee, the founder of the Mei App, a messaging app will likely be the most valuable piece of technology in the world within the next decade. The winner takes all approach will dictate how freely people will be able to communicate.
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