Samsung axes Messages app, pushes Google switch

After the deadline, Samsung Messages will no longer support sending or receiving standard texts, except for emergency numbers and designated contacts, News.Az reports, citing foreign media.

The company said users will receive in-app guidance to help switch to Google Messages, which can also be set manually as the default SMS app via the Play Store.

Samsung said the decision aligns with its goal of delivering a more consistent messaging experience across Android devices. By adopting Google Messages, users will gain access to enhanced features such as AI-powered spam and scam detection, improved security, and support for Rich Communication Services (RCS), enabling high-quality media sharing and typing indicators across both Android and iOS.

The platform also introduces AI-driven tools powered by Google Gemini, including smart replies and photo editing features, along with multi-device syncing across smartphones, tablets, and smartwatches.

Devices running Android 11 or earlier will not be affected. However, older smartwatches—particularly those released before the Galaxy Watch4 and operating on Tizen OS—will lose access to full message histories, though they will still support sending and receiving new texts.

Samsung Messages has been a default app on Galaxy devices since the early days of the lineup around 2009–2010. It received a major redesign with the introduction of One UI in 2019. Signs of its phase-out began in 2021, when Samsung started shipping devices like the Galaxy S21 with Google Messages as the default.

The transition accelerated in 2024, when Samsung stopped pre-installing the app on newer models such as the Galaxy Z Fold 6 and Galaxy Z Flip 6. The Galaxy S25 series later launched without Samsung Messages entirely.