January 31, 2019

Texting has quickly overshadowed traditional calling among mobile phone users, but what do adults really prefer – calling or texting?

It is nearly impossible to walk down the street, glance around in a restaurant, or people watch from a park bench, without seeing countless individuals pecking away at their smartphone screens. This phenomenon is all too common today, with the average person sending off dozens, if not hundreds of text messages per day. Studies from 2008-2010 concerning cell phone usage among adults seem almost quaint today, as text messaging and traditional calling activities ran nearly neck and neck back then. Just five years later, we are now seeing significantly greater levels of texting among adults versus regular calling – to the tune of more than 2000 texts per month. Interestingly, the average adult sent and received just 65 text messages per month in 2006. That number jumped up to 350 text messages per month in 2008, and then skyrocketed to over 2000 per month seven years later. Interestingly, Nielsen studies show that text messaging may not decrease in volume very much as the user gets older, but the acceptance of text messaging as a proper form of communication is lower than in younger age brackets.

So to answer the question simply, adults today generally prefer texting versus calling if you factor in the number of text messages sent and received per month versus the number of calls sent and received. But the key difference lies in the level of importance that is placed on text messaging among the different age groups. Those aged 18-25 generally feel that texting is a completely acceptable form of communication and that it can easily replace the traditional phone call, while those aged 25 to 34, 35 to 49, and 50 and older represent continually decreasing levels of satisfaction with texting as a primary communication method. So while adults certainly send and receive a large number of text messages on a monthly basis, they are more likely to use texting as a tool of convenience versus a primary communication medium. Convenience is the key word here, as adults will often use text messaging to reach their children when they are at school, to communicate during work hours, or to multitask when they are doing something else. When it comes to multitasking, in fact, a 2013 AAA study indicated that a higher percentage of adults reported using their phones to text while driving versus those aged 19 to 24.

As texting has quickly become the primary communication method among most age groups today, it is important to realize that different age groups approach text messaging in different ways. While kids or young adults tend to use their phones and send text messages to stave off boredom, adults often text with a greater sense of purpose. For adults who currently have a smart phone that operates using either iOS or Android, consider downloading the magicApp today. This application enables the user to get a US phone number on their smart phone or tablet, enabling unlimited calls to the US and Canada over 3G, 4G, and Wi-Fi. Plus text messaging is available through the magicApp – ideally suited to save the user money and deliver incredible convenience. Visit www.magicjack.com/magicApp.html today for more information!