From time to time, we see surveys that are interpreted as claiming that teens and kids are abandoning email in favour of Instant Messaging. The implication is that email might die out in due course.

The latest is new Pew Internet and American Life Project, which claims that "Email, once the cutting edge "killer app," is losing its privileged
place among many teens as they express preferences for instant
messaging (IM) and text messaging as ways to connect with their
friends."

But this really misses the point as they’re not competing technologies but complementary ones. Just because teens are using IM more, it isn’t replacing email - in fact, it probably means that they’re simply communicating more often, with more people.

Communication channels can simplistically be divided into two types - offline and online. Offline you have email, voice mail and texting - though this can be online too, which is one reason for its popularity. Online you have IM, phone and VoIP. If you fancy a chat and there’s a good chance your pal is there, you’ll try online first, very often, switching to offline if you want to leave a message.

So it’s really horses for courses, not one or the other. Just as email didn’t replace the phone, email’s not going to be knocked out by IM - no matter how good a headline it makes.

Story source: Net Imperative.