Don't people use whatsapp in your corner of the world? Over here in Europe all of that happens over whatsapp, which is still a Meta property at the end of the day, but one that hasn't been enshittified with off-network crap or algorithmic feeds... so far!
What is the big difference between messaging apps and sms? They are both forms of semi-synchronous communication via texting. SMS in many cases incures charges, moreover messaging apps actually do not necessarily require using an actual phone, or even _having_ a phone, which is a big plus in my book.
