<p>Some 20 years after it was invented, SMS (text) messaging may be giving way to Internet-based (Net) wireless messaging such as Skype, Facebook Messenger, and WhatsApp.</p><p>A report on TechHive.com cited a Tyntec/GigaOm study showing that by 2016, there may be more Net than SMS messages - about 16 trillion Net messages versus 11 trillion SMS messages.</p><p>"The rise of virtual phone numbers, which (Internet-based) messaging companies can create without piggybacking on carriers, contributes to that growth. Teens who once would have racked up huge overage fees can now turn their iPod Touches and tablets into phones without buying text or data plans," it said.</p><p>On the other hand, the study said 2013 may be the first year that the number of Net messages catches up with the number of SMS messages, at 10 trillion.</p><p><a href="http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/story/291746/scitech/technology/internet-messaging-may-surpass-sms-by-2016">Keep reading...</a></p><p>Read also:</p><p><a href="http://bgr.com/2013/01/24/apple-imessage-growth-analysis-whatsapp-304019/?utm_source=authors-sb&utm_medium=home">Carriers' messaging nightmare gets worse as Apple's iMessage growth pulls ...</a> (BGR)</p><p>Explore: <a href="http://news.google.com/news/more?ncl=d6t--QWaNk8mhWMcCJP1QREK9UQ5M&ned=us">3 additional articles.</a></p>