MMS

Multimedia Messaging Service, or MMS is a variation of standard text messaging (also known as SMS) standard. Using a cellphone or mobile handset, a user can combine a basic short textual message with any of a variety of other message types. Most common MMS messages include voice recordings, songs, ringtones, images, animations, short videos, or web pages.

The included multimedia can come from a variety of sources. It can be obtained using the phone's interior hardware, such as built in camera or microphone. It can also be downloaded content from the Mobile Web, a file transferred from a computer, or a file saved from a previously received MMS. There is no size limit for each message with this standard.

This technology was developed from picture messages. The expanded range of media, allowed with included text description, brings mobile messaging a step closer to the same capabilities as a standard desktop computer would allow. In some cases, MMS may negate the need for a computer entirely. Though developed for mobile phones, MMS can also be used to communicate between a mobile phone and email from any compatible device.

MMS is considered a "standard", meaning it can be used across multiple brands and types of devices without much variation or limitation. The standard body responsible for this technology is the Open Mobile Alliance.

2002 saw the first phase of MMS compatible phones, and continues to gain popularity today. This shift comes with the growing number of users buying all-in-one smartphones which are not only standard phones, but cameras, music players, PDAs, and more. http://www.openmobilealliance.org/tech/affiliates/wap/wapindex.html http://www.mobile-phones-uk.org.uk/mms.htm