- Despite earlier reviews, Samsung Messages has not been discontinued
- Samsung’s native messaging app even had RCS assist reinstated
- Samsung Messages is now solely out there through the Galaxy Store
Despite a earlier assertion extensively interpreted as a discontinuation announcement, Samsung’s Google Messages rival remains to be out there for Samsung Galaxy smartphone customers – the truth is, it simply bought a brand new replace.
Samsung Messages, which is now solely out there through the Samsung-run Galaxy Store app, has been upgraded to incorporate Google’s implementation of RCS, or Rich Communication Services.
As we beforehand reported, RCS allows iMessage-style media sharing and group chats for telephones of any platform. Samsung customers have had entry to RCS through Google Messages for years.
Samsung Messages beforehand provided a proprietary implementation of RCS – although, as Android Authority notes, this was pulled final yr as a part of the change to Google Messages because the default messaging app for Galaxy handsets.
We lately reported that Samsung Messages had been discontinued, and can be made solely unavailable for customers of the Galaxy S25, Galaxy S25 Plus, and Galaxy S25 Ultra.
This was attributable to a press release from Samsung, initially reported by Android Authority, which learn (partially): “We have opted emigrate all providers to Google Messages and are sunsetting Samsung Messages. It’s not out there within the Play Store; nonetheless, those that selected to make the most of Samsung Messages are nonetheless in a position to take action.”
Though our protection, as nicely that by others like PhoneArena, interpreted “sunsetting” as a lighter approach of claiming “shutting down”, Samsung later knowledgeable us that this wasn’t precisely the case.
A later assertion offered to us by Samsung instantly, mentioned: “Starting with the brand new fashions, the Samsung Messages app will not be preloaded. Instead, Google Messages will present a brand new and enhanced expertise to precise your feelings, making communication protected and enjoyable. The Samsung Messages app remains to be out there for obtain from the Galaxy Store with some options excluded.”
The new fashions in query are the Galaxy S25, Galaxy S25 Plus, Galaxy S25 Ultra, and presumably the brand new Galaxy S25 Edge. Rather than dropping entry to Samsung Messages utterly, it appears homeowners of the latest Samsung Galaxy telephones should hunt down the app on Samsung’s personal Galaxy Store.
There’s been some backwards and forwards about the way forward for Samsung Messages, however an official replace like this means it’s sticking round for some time, if solely as a sidelined various to the now-default Google Messages. As a video from Sammyguru’s Jeff Springer demonstrates, Samsung Messages stays unavailable from the Google Play Store.
In any case, it’s unlikely {that a} messaging app reshuffle will cease the Galaxy S25 sequence from selecting up spots on our lists of the very best telephones and finest Samsung telephones.
