Gartner, Inc. forecasts that 2.3 trillion messages will be sent worldwide in 2008, which apparently represents a 19.6% increase from the 2007 total of 1.9 trillion messages.

Mobile messaging revenue across major markets will grow 15.7% in 2008 to $60.2 billion, up from $52 billion in 2007.

The Asia/Pacific region and Japan are the biggest consumers of mobile phone messaging.

Gartner estimated that there were 1.5 trillion messages sent in 2007, and the number will grow to 1.7 trillion in 2008.

In North America, Gartner estimated that there were 189 billion mobile messages sent in 2007, with this due to reach 301 billion in 2008.

For the future beyond 2008, the research firm predicts that the popularity of text and picture messaging will eventually recede with mobile phone IMing and push email becoming the favoured way to communicate on the go.

>> Via - SlashPhone