Overall texting is trending downward in that region as consumers look for cheaper solutions to communicate.
Though communicating over smartphones has never been as popular or as common as they are today, consumers in the Middle East are steering away from traditional texting and the costs associated with it, causing SMS mobile marketing to have its effectiveness placed at risk in that region.
Consumers are looking for messenger services that are cheaper or come with no cost at all.
According to newly published reports, texting is on the way out in one of the most quickly growing emerging mobile markets in the world. In a region where SMS mobile marketing has become important due to the significant penetration of smartphones in the Middle East, this could signal that a change is on its way in terms of the ways in which brands, retailers, and companies will be communicating with shoppers.
SMS mobile marketing could be threatened by apps such as Skype and WhatsApp in the Middle East.
The texting trend data was revealed by Informa Telecoms & Media. The results of their research has indicated that this year will be the first time in the history of smartphones that telecoms within the Middle East will see a decrease in the profits that they bring in from the use of texting. This is a direct result of the activity of consumers who are looking to other apps and services for sending free emoticons, pictures, and messages to each other.
The Informa Telecoms & Media principal analyst in Dubai, Matthew Reed, explained that 2014 will prove itself to be quite the “turning point” within that part of the world. He stated that “According to our forecasts, SMS revenues for the Middle East peaked in 2013 and will decline over the coming few years.”
It is also being predicted that what is now becoming evident in the Middle Eastern region is also on its way throughout the rest of the world. This became clear in another report that was issued last week which suggested that the worldwide spending on operator messaging services (including MMS and SMS) dropped for the first time ever, last year, after having reached its highest point in 2012.
It will be interesting to see how SMS mobile marketing will move as this trend continues to develop.