I confirm this. It's also true that they seem to be the only users of SMSes now. People are using WhatsApp or Telegram or Messenger, roughly 90-9-1 in my experience (Italy.) Cost is not the issue because plans include at least hundreds of SMS if they are not unlimited. It's functionality: pictures, vocals, videos, multi user chats, etc.

I was never a huge SMS user, but as far as I can tell, it seems pretty on par with chat services these days. I guess technically it's MMS, but who cares (or knows)?

I have a group SMS with family where people are constantly sharing pictures etc and it is working fine.