Samsung wants you to move to Google Messages, and it's for the best
It’s time to end the age of duplicate apps on Samsung phones.
What you need to know
- Starting with the Galaxy Z Flip 6 and Z Fold 6, the Samsung Messages app is no longer pre-installed on Samsung devices.
- Now, the company appears to be prompting users to switch to Google Messages as their default SMS app.
- While the Samsung Messages app is not immediately being discontinued entirely, all signs point to Google Messages being the future messaging app of One UI.
For better or for worse, using a Samsung Galaxy phone has historically meant living with duplicate default apps. Of course, Google includes default versions of its own apps, like the Chrome browser. On top of that, Samsung might include an alternate app as part of its One UI skin for Android, like Samsung Internet. You’ll notice quickly after switching to a Galaxy phone that there are multiple apps for the same function, and this is far less common on other phones.
One example is Samsung Messages, which serves as an SMS app in addition to Google Messages. Originally, Samsung Messages was set as the default for Galaxy devices, but that changed a few years ago. Even after Samsung started shipping Galaxy phones with Google Messages as the default SMS app, the Samsung Messages app was still pre-installed as an alternative. That finally changed this summer, when the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 and Galaxy Z Flip 6 released without Samsung Messages pre-installed.
That move led many to believe that Samsung was slowly preparing to send its Messages app off into the sunset. While an immediate discontinuation doesn’t seem to be in the cards, Samsung does appear to be moving away from Samsung Messages (via 9to5Google). As noted by users on social media sites, like Reddit, a recent Samsung Messages update is prompting users to switch to Google Messages.
Help please from r/GoogleMessages
The prompt pushes users to set Google Messages as their default SMS app. If they choose to give Google Messages a try, their Samsung Messages history can be imported to the new default app. However, some users report that syncing hundreds or thousands of messages can be an excruciating process that results in Google Messages slowing to a crawl in the short term.
This push is the latest urging Samsung Messages users to try Google Messages. Some people have been moving to Google Messages on their own accord now that it’s the default messaging app for Galaxy devices and One UI. Additionally, RCS support in Samsung Messages can be hit-or-miss, as it’s carrier-dependent. Compared to the full-fledged RCS support in Google Messages, Samsung Messages is lagging behind. Now that Samsung is clearly moving away from the app, it might not ever catch up.
Between Samsung’s apparent push for Google Messages and Apple’s impending support of RCS, which will work best in Google Messages, there’s good reason to switch. It feels like only a matter of time before Samsung Messages is sunset altogether. For now, it’s worth emphasizing that the app is still kicking and users can still continue to use it.
Why are there so many duplicate apps?
I have no stake in the Samsung Messages versus Google Messages debate, since I’m primarily a Pixel user. Even on my Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4, I stick with Google Messages as it’s the default. But as a longtime hater of the bloat that typically comes with Samsung’s One UI skin of Android, I’m excited about the possibility of there being one less duplicate application on Galaxy phones.
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After testing all kinds of Android phones from all the biggest manufacturers, Samsung delivers the worst software experience, in my opinion. The number of pre-installed, third party apps you’ll find on stock One UI devices is ridiculous — I shouldn’t have to see the Amazon app on my phone unless I choose to install it. When you consider the duplicate apps, like Samsung Calendar and Google Calendar, or Chrome and Samsung Internet, it all adds up to create a bloated experience.
I get why Samsung wants to offer its own versions of default apps. It has an ecosystem to support, and it might just be the most versatile ecosystem out there. You can buy a Samsung phone, tablet, watch, earbuds, laptop, and even washing machine or TV if you choose. However, the ecosystem software shouldn’t hamper the experience of using Galaxy phones as, well, phones. Google makes better versions of many, if not all, of Samsung’s default apps. That makes some of them simply redundant.
Especially of late, Samsung Messages has been a redundant holdover of the early One UI days. Google Messages is better, and Samsung is pushing users away from its own messaging app because it’s for the best. I hope it leads to Samsung Messages being sunset eventually, for simplicity’s sake. Looking broader, I’d love to see Samsung audit its suite of default and pre-installed applications. One UI is the most bloated Android skin out there, but it doesn’t have to be.
Brady is a tech journalist covering news at Android Central. He has spent the last two years reporting and commenting on all things related to consumer technology for various publications. Brady graduated from St. John's University in 2023 with a bachelor's degree in journalism. When he isn't experimenting with the latest tech, you can find Brady running or watching sports.
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FACTagent I am on Google Messages since Samsung Messages doesn't support chat functions on unlocked phones (just carrier). One thing I don't like about the Google RCS implementation is that it only shows you the delivered / read status of your latest text in a thread. Not any of the previous texts, which Samsung used to do. I text a lot with my wife but she lets them build up rather than reading them immediately, so I have no way of knowing if she read only the latest text or all the texts since the last text know she read. Also, I miss the categories feature.Reply -
dougpaw57 After using a Flip 3, Flip 4, and Flip 5, I couldn't stand it anymore. I went back to a Pixel, all those duplicate apps drove me crazy.Reply -
NoBaaHere I will respectfully disagree that this is for the best. I got "upgraded" to Google messages without my knowledge or consent and didn't even realize what had happened at first. I just knew that all of a sudden, functions I relied on heavily (e.g., shared attachments) were suddenly gone and my efficiency plummeted. And hey, I want to be able to send photos in different sizes of MY CHOICE. And searching my text messages? Well, the Google results were also compressed to what Big Brother Google felt I needed to see. I hated the change so much I started searching online for what happened and figured it out. I learned it was because I was being unwillingly handed off to Google Messages with no say. I was happy to learn I could still download Samsung Messages through the Play Store and immediately did and was again happy. Learning that they are ultimately doing away with Samsung Messages altogether is insanely disappointing because I have ZERO desire to use Google Messages and just WON'T. I will keep pressing the "Not Now" button when being hard-arm coaxed to "Upgrade to Google Messages to enhance chats with custom themes and Screen Effects". You know, since "Not Ever" is not an option and since I could give two hoots about custom themes and Screen Effects since my Gen does not end with Z. I hate the idea of having to search for a 3rd Party messaging app now, but that is what I am being forced to do. If anyone has any recommendations, I would love them.Reply -
Mooncatt I'm in a similar boat with Verizon also killing off their highly useful and customizable messenger service in favor of this downgrade from Daddy Google. I tried Google and immediately noped right out of it. I'm back on Verizon for now and fingers crossed it'll remain functional at least as a basic text messenger after the service officially ends. If not, I'm going back to Handcent. I already tried it and found they have their own crowd source based spam blocker now (they didn't when I last used it), so that's a plus.Reply -
y2jman i'm thinking about doing textra see if i like it before buying i just don't know i can handle seeing every few days when i open up samsung app and see that messageReply
if i'm correct it seems to happen every 2 days since it started weds after pop out i said not now and inside app not now and came back yesterday i said not now come mon it will prob show back up and i think it always trends to appear 4, 4:30 in morning
yes i want to stay with samsung message as long as i can i even asked samsung in chat other day when it will official stop working they didn't have a clear issue i can continue saying not now but the nagging next time i open up app seeing it at the top driving me crazy
i also don't want to go into google message btw i know unless ios users update to 18 no rcs i know my parents got older iphones and they don't have it i think my brother his family already in latest version besides i have to turn on rcs if i wanted to do google message
i don't even hardly do group message anyways i refuse to be in my family group message sometimes on samsung message ha plus fact google message so dul and i read half of time rcs works and don't works on android really don't care about rcs anyways i'm good with good old sms/mms
verizon even have rcs anyways i doubt it -
BerryBubbles
You do not have to turn on RCS to use Google Messages. You can still use just SMS/MMS.y2jman said:i also don't want to go into google message btw i know unless ios users update to 18 no rcs i know my parents got older iphones and they don't have it i think my brother his family already in latest version besides i have to turn on rcs if i wanted to do google message