[kitsunesoba]

In comparison to calls, texts/messages also bring the tangible benefit of giving more space for one to compose and better conduct their thoughts. This is true even when the people involved are actively messaging each other — it's fine to delay a message for a few minutes whereas in a call there's constant pressure to speak to avoid awkward silence and keep the conversation flowing.

Of course people don't always capitalize fully on this but I think it's a major reason why messaging has come to be preferred over calls.