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Samsung Messages to Google Messages transition story has an unexpected twist

By Anam Hamid

Published: Feb 03, 2025, 6:51 PM

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Samsung Messages Google Messages Galaxy S25

Samsung came so close to killing Samsung Messages before giving it another chance at life. That's what it looks like, anyway.

Samsung Messages is technically not dead. But Samsung has announced that it's going to sunset its native messaging app to encourage migration to Google Messages.

The Korean giant has long been preparing for the transition and the eventual shutdown of the app. In 2021, it switched to Google Messages as the main messaging app on its phones. In mid-2024, the company stopped installing Samsung Messages on its foldable handsets. RCS support for the app was removed by Verizon late last year.

This year, Samsung announced its plans to retire the app.

The Galaxy S25 predictably doesn't come pre-installed with Samsung Messages. On top of that, the app has also been removed from the Play Store. The company appears to be reconsidering its decision now.

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The folks at SammyGurus and 9to5Google report that Samsung Messages on the Galaxy S25 Ultra supports RCS on Verizon. The app remains available to download from Samsung's Galaxy Store.

Samsung Messages supports RCS on the Galaxy S25. | Image Credit - SammyGurus

This is an interesting development, considering that RCS was presented as one of the key reasons by Samsung for moving its users to Google Messages. And now, the company is encouraging users to turn on RCS in Samsung Messages for "Faster, richer, higher quality chat on Wi-Fi or data."

The same behavior isn't exhibited when Samsung Messages is used on the Galaxy S24 Ultra, but that's apparently because Samsung's last-gen flagship has yet to receive the stable One UI 7 update.

Samsung had previously said that individual apps supporting RCS were not enough to accelerate adoption as "the availability may be limited depending on which app the other party uses." That's why, it made Google Messages the default texting app. It also didn't help that the RCS capabilities of Samsung's app were carrier-dependent.

Google Messages, on the other hand, supports RCS functionality regardless of the carrier. In recent years, AT&T, T-Mobile, and Verizon have all switched to Google’s Jibe platform from their infrastructures to support RCS.

When you consider this, it makes it harder to understand why Samsung wanted to kill its messaging app. It appears to have realized that and for now, the app lives on.

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Anam Hamid is a computer scientist turned tech journalist who has a keen interest in the tech world, with a particular focus on smartphones and tablets. She has previously written for Android Headlines and has also been a ghostwriter for several tech and car publications. Anam is not a tech hoarder and believes in using her gadgets for as long as possible. She is concerned about smartphone addiction and its impact on future generations, but she also appreciates the convenience that phones have brought into our lives. Anam is excited about technological advancements like folding screens and under-display sensors, and she often wonders about the future of technology. She values the overall experience of a device more than its individual specs and admires companies that deliver durable, high-quality products. In her free time, Anam enjoys reading, scrolling through Reddit and Instagram, and occasionally refreshing her programming skills through tutorials.