Samsung is dropping its first-party messaging app in the United States and making Google Messages the pre-installed option out of the box. The company made the announcement in a notice sent through the Samsung Members app.
It states that “Samsung Messages will no longer be preloaded” on the Galaxy Z Flip6, Z Fold6, and “newer models”. Google Messages is the new choice because it provides an “enhanced experience” by allowing users to express themselves securely, according to the notice.
Judging from the wording, the company seems to be talking about RCS, or Rich Communication Services. Google created this messaging protocol to greatly improve text messaging between Android phones.
RCS can send different file types beyond plain text messages, supports high-resolution images and videos, and protects your data via end-to-end encryption. Samsung Messages does support the protocol, but not in the same capacity as Google Messages, which is more widely available.
Samsung Messages “is still available for download from the Galaxy Store”, however a few of its features “will be excluded”. Which ones exactly are unknown, as neither the notice nor the app listing explains what was removed.
Missing info
There is a good amount of important information missing. For starters, is the adoption of Google Message a global update?
Initial reports indicate the switch is only occurring in the United States, and industry expert Mishaal Rahman took to X (the platform formerly known as Twitter), writing that the “Canadian and European builds for the Galaxy Z Flip6 and Fold6” still have the first-party app pre-installed. “Only US unlocked [and] carrier units” are seeing the update.
Additionally, it’s unknown if the switch will occur anywhere else. The notice mentioned something about newer models, but we don’t know if the tech giant refers to the upcoming Galaxy S25 or the S24 series. There is a good chance these changes could roll out to older devices. Back in 2022, on the Galaxy S22, the company decided to make Google Messages the default RCS app while keeping its own software as a secondary option for users.
2024 has seen the two giants join forces in a wide-reaching partnership affecting multiple areas, from smartphones to artificial intelligence. Getting rid of one (arguably lesser) messaging app to support its contemporary better might be Samsung’s current mindset.
We reached out to Samsung asking if other models will be affected and if there are plans to bring these changes globally. This story will be updated if we hear back.
Be sure to check out TechRadar's list of the best Samsung phones for 2024.
Update 7-24-2024: A company representative told us the switch to Google Messages in "currently limited to the US," but couldn't tell us if Samsung plans on doing the same in other countries. Similarly, when asked about possibly pulling the plug on Samsung Messages, they didn't give us a clear answer.
They did, however, confirm only future Galaxy models will see the change, nothing that the Galaxy S24 series and every line before it will not see the update. When asked about Samsung Messages in the Galaxy Store, the representative told us the app no longer supports Samsung Themes, "features released after One UI 6.1.1.," nor RCS when "using satellite mode."
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