Samsung has revealed that its Samsung Messages app will be discontinued by July 2026 for Galaxy devices operating on Android 12 or later versions. Post this deadline, the app will no longer provide regular messaging services, except for specific functions like emergency service numbers and predefined emergency contacts.
In a recent blog post, the South Korean tech giant encouraged users to switch to Google Messages as the new default messaging app, stating, “Upgrade to Google Messages as your default messaging app today to maintain a consistent messaging experience on Android.” This decision marks the conclusion of Samsung’s decade-long utilization of its messaging app and signals a broader trend towards Google’s Android messaging platform.
Samsung has already initiated the transition by pre-installing Google Messages on its recent models and removing Samsung Messages from the Galaxy Store. Nonetheless, devices operating on Android 11 or earlier versions will not be impacted by this change. In essence, they will continue to support the Samsung Messages app as older Android versions are not fully compatible with newer communication standards.
To switch to Google Messages, users can opt for an in-app notification or manual process. If prompted within Samsung Messages, users can follow the on-screen instructions. Alternatively, users can manually install or open Google Messages from the Play Store, select “Set default SMS app,” opt for Google Messages, and affirm the selection by choosing “Set as default.” For Android 12 or 13 users, the company suggests replacing Samsung Messages with Google Messages on the home screen for convenient access.
The move to Google Messages offers numerous advantages over Samsung Messages, such as Rich Communication Services (RCS), supporting high-quality media sharing, group chats, real-time typing indicators, AI-powered spam and scam detection, integration with Google’s Gemini AI for smart replies and photo remixing, and multi-device messaging across various devices.
The transition from proprietary messaging apps to Google Messages commenced with Samsung. The possibility of similar shifts from other brands like Oppo, Vivo, and Xiaomi remains uncertain.