Finally, we’ll soon be able to mark iPhone text messages as unread in addition to pinning them to the top of the heap. Android users can mark texts as important and organize them into categories based on sender and type.

These features recognize that texts are pervasive and useful—and becoming as overwhelming as email. Businesses do provide timely, relevant information, and people are more likely to open texts than emails, often within 15 minutes, so the appeal is clear.

My concern is whether texts are replacing email as a more efficient way of communicating—or whether they are simply piling on, causing us to spend more screen time.

UPDATE: A Wall Street Journal writer suggests additional tools and, as I suggest, ways to set limits.