<p>Results of a new study might concern some service providers about the future of revenue from traditional text messaging (SMS).</p><p>Nearly half (45 percent) of smartphone owners use some form of instant messaging (IM) or over-the-top (OTT) messaging app in addition to and in some cases instead of texts, according to a new report examining consumer smartphone voice and messaging trends from Analysys Mason.</p><p>The report, "Consumer smartphone usage: voice and messaging trends," is based on data derived from Arbitron Mobile's passive on-device monitoring app, which monitored more than 1000 smartphone users ('panelists') in France, Germany, Spain, the U.K. and the U.S.</p><p>The report shows that WhatsApp Messenger is the first large-scale cross-platform messaging app; nearly 20 percent of the panelists used it during the two-month observation period. However, OTT communication apps have succeeded in replacing operator services in only a small proportion of cases; only 1.7 percent of the panel used IM/OTT messaging without using SMS, but 97 percent used SMS.</p><p><a href="http://www.billingworld.com/news/2012/10/ott-messaging-voip-apps-threaten-to-marginalize-o.aspx">Keep reading...</a></p><p>Read also:</p><p><a href="http://www.fiercemobilecontent.com/story/survey-half-smartphone-owners-use-im-ott-messaging-apps/2012-10-08">Survey: Half of smartphone owners use IM, OTT messaging apps</a> (Fiercemobilecontent)</p><p><a href="http://www.itpro.co.uk/643342/smartphone-users-move-to-voip">Smartphone users move to VoIP</a> (IT PRO)</p><p><a href="http://www.telecompaper.com/news/over-45-of-smartphones-users-use-im-or-ott-apps">Over 45% of smartphones users use IM or OTT apps</a> (Telecompaper (subscription))</p><p>Explore: <a href="http://news.google.com/news/more?ncl=d7spkKqhk_DnePMMrpmoWq55DTaFM&ned=us">4 additional articles.</a></p>