Jakarta, INTI - Samsung officially announced that it will discontinue its default messaging app, Samsung Messages. This decision marks a major shift in Samsung's software strategy, now more closely aligned with the Google ecosystem.
In its official announcement, Samsung stated that the Samsung Messages app will be completely discontinued in July 2026. After that date, the app will no longer be available for messaging, will be removed from the Galaxy Store and Google Play Store, and users will no longer be able to re-download the app.
Samsung also provided a transition period of several months before the service's complete shutdown. As a replacement, Samsung officially recommends users switch to Google Messages. This move is not new, as many Galaxy phones have been using Google Messages as a default since 2024. Furthermore, some newer devices no longer include Samsung Messages at all.
Google Messages offers more modern features, such as Rich Communication Services (RCS), end-to-end encryption, AI integration, and spam protection. However, this discontinuity does not apply to all devices.
Devices with Android 11 Can Run Samsung Messages
The Samsung Messages app will be discontinued on phones running Android 12 or later, while older devices running Android 11 or earlier will still be able to use the app. This is likely due to limited compatibility with the new system.
This decision reflects Samsung's new direction to reduce app duplication with Google, focus on Android ecosystem integration, and encourage global adoption of the RCS standard.
Previously, Samsung has long collaborated with Google on communication service development and has now chosen to rely entirely on Google solutions. This change brings more modern features but also the loss of Samsung's native apps. However, the transition is designed to be relatively easy with official guidance from Samsung.
Conclusion
Samsung announced that its devices will no longer run Samsung Messages and urged users to switch to Google Messages. The complete discontinue of the application will be in July 2026. This decision is taken as a push for Rich Communication Services (RCS) standardization. However, devices with Android 11 system or earlier will still be able to use Samsung Messages.
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