Text messages still play a big role in the daily lives of many, with almost one in three people sending and receiving SMS messages every day — 30 years after the first text was sent.
New figures show that, despite the range of available communications platforms, including services such as WhatsApp and Skype as well as social media, 20 per cent of people still use SMS as their default messaging medium.
Communications firm Infobip reported that 30 per cent of respondents to a survey said they sent text messages daily — with 54 per cent saying they used SMS as a way of reaching people who were not on other messaging platforms.
The first text message was sent by engineer Neil Papworth on December 3, 1992, and read simply: “Merry Christmas.”
“In the 30 years since SMS text messaging has been in use, messaging technology has expanded exponentially,” Infobip UK country manager Nikhil Shoorji said.
“Users now have an abundance of choice ranging from WhatsApp to Skype.
“While some might argue that SMS has lost ground in the messaging platform popularity race, the results of our research show quite the opposite.”
Not only does SMS still hold an important place in users’ everyday lives, Mr Shoorji said, it is also popular among the younger generations.
“This means that the power of SMS endures and will continue to be one of the core platforms for communications moving forward — something brands need to keep in mind or miss out on engaging with a sizeable share of their customer base,” he added.
Infobip’s research also found that 7 per cent of those surveyed said they had been dumped via text message and 1 per cent said they had been sacked.
SPEC SHEET
Display: 10.9" Liquid Retina IPS, 2360 x 1640, 264ppi, wide colour, True Tone, Apple Pencil support
Chip: Apple M1, 8-core CPU, 8-core GPU, 16-core Neural Engine
Memory: 64/256GB storage; 8GB RAM
Main camera: 12MP wide, f/1.8, Smart HDR
Video: 4K @ 25/25/30/60fps, full HD @ 25/30/60fps, slo-mo @ 120/240fps
Front camera: 12MP ultra-wide, f/2.4, Smart HDR, Centre Stage; full HD @ 25/30/60fps
Audio: Stereo speakers
Biometrics: Touch ID
I/O: USB-C, smart connector (for folio/keyboard)
Battery: Up to 10 hours on Wi-Fi; up to 9 hours on cellular
Finish: Space grey, starlight, pink, purple, blue
Price: Wi-Fi – Dh2,499 (64GB) / Dh3,099 (256GB); cellular – Dh3,099 (64GB) / Dh3,699 (256GB)
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The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre V8 twin-turbocharged and three electric motors
Power: Combined output 920hp
Torque: 730Nm at 4,000-7,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed dual-clutch automatic
Fuel consumption: 11.2L/100km
On sale: Now, deliveries expected later in 2025
Price: expected to start at Dh1,432,000
Recent winners
2002 Giselle Khoury (Colombia)
2004 Nathalie Nasralla (France)
2005 Catherine Abboud (Oceania)
2007 Grace Bijjani (Mexico)
2008 Carina El-Keddissi (Brazil)
2009 Sara Mansour (Brazil)
2010 Daniella Rahme (Australia)
2011 Maria Farah (Canada)
2012 Cynthia Moukarzel (Kuwait)
2013 Layla Yarak (Australia)
2014 Lia Saad (UAE)
2015 Cynthia Farah (Australia)
2016 Yosmely Massaad (Venezuela)
2017 Dima Safi (Ivory Coast)
2018 Rachel Younan (Australia)
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6.30pm: Emirates Holidays Maiden (TB) Dh 82,500 (Dirt) 1,900m
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Winner: Zhou Storm, Connor Beasley, Ali Rashid Al Raihe.
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8.15pm: Emirates Airline Conditions (TB) Dh 120,000 (D) 1,400m
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8.50pm: Emirates Sky Cargo (TB) Dh 92,500 (D) 1,400m
Winner: Kinver Edge, Richard Mullen, Satish Seemar.
9.15pm: Emirates.com (TB) Dh 95,000 (D) 2,000m
Winner: Firnas, Xavier Ziani, Salem bin Ghadayer.
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- Promises of high, fixed or 'guaranteed' returns.
- Unregulated structured products or complex investments often used to bypass traditional safeguards.
- Lack of clear information, vague language, no access to audited financials.
- Overseas companies targeting investors in other jurisdictions - this can make legal recovery difficult.
- Hard-selling tactics - creating urgency, offering 'exclusive' deals.
Courtesy: Carol Glynn, founder of Conscious Finance Coaching
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Hometown: Cologne, Germany
Family: Wife Hanan Ahmed and their three children, Marrah (23), Tibijan (19), Amon (13)
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