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Matti Makkonen: Finnish pioneer of texting tech dies | Matti Makkonen: Finnish pioneer of texting tech dies |
(about 3 hours later) | |
Matti Makkonen, who helped to launch the worldwide sensation of texting, has died at the age of 63 after an illness. | Matti Makkonen, who helped to launch the worldwide sensation of texting, has died at the age of 63 after an illness. |
Makkonen became known as the father of SMS after developing the idea of sending messages via mobile networks. | Makkonen became known as the father of SMS after developing the idea of sending messages via mobile networks. |
Despite the nickname, he was often quick to point out that he did not invent the technology single-handedly. | Despite the nickname, he was often quick to point out that he did not invent the technology single-handedly. |
In 2012, he told BBC News - in an SMS interview - that he believed texting in some form would be around "forever". | In 2012, he told BBC News - in an SMS interview - that he believed texting in some form would be around "forever". |
Speaking on the 20th anniversary of the first text message, Makkonen said that he considered the development of SMS a joint effort and that it was Nokia who helped to popularise the service. | Speaking on the 20th anniversary of the first text message, Makkonen said that he considered the development of SMS a joint effort and that it was Nokia who helped to popularise the service. |
"The real launch of the service, as I see it, was when Nokia introduced the first phone that enabled easy writing of messages (Nokia 2010 in 1994)," he said. | "The real launch of the service, as I see it, was when Nokia introduced the first phone that enabled easy writing of messages (Nokia 2010 in 1994)," he said. |
Txt spk | Txt spk |
He added that he did not use "txt spk" himself, though he pointed out that texting could be thought of as having had an impact on the development of language. | He added that he did not use "txt spk" himself, though he pointed out that texting could be thought of as having had an impact on the development of language. |
Jarmo Matilainen, managing director of Finnish telecoms group Finnet Association, had been working with Makkonen, himself a former managing director of Finnet Ltd, in recent years. | Jarmo Matilainen, managing director of Finnish telecoms group Finnet Association, had been working with Makkonen, himself a former managing director of Finnet Ltd, in recent years. |
He described Makkonen as a "grand old man of the mobile industry". | He described Makkonen as a "grand old man of the mobile industry". |
"It's very sad. He was just going to retire and he should have had many years ahead," said Matilainen, who added that Makkonen's fascination with communications technology had been irrepressible. | "It's very sad. He was just going to retire and he should have had many years ahead," said Matilainen, who added that Makkonen's fascination with communications technology had been irrepressible. |
"We liked to talk about SMS and that kind of thing, 3G and so on. He liked to talk about this all time," he said. | "We liked to talk about SMS and that kind of thing, 3G and so on. He liked to talk about this all time," he said. |
Although the use of SMS in the UK has begun to fall, it remains popular worldwide with trillions of texts sent every year. |
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