Google Messages will become the new default text app in the United States
Samsung has just cut a popular messaging platform from its Galaxy phones. Dubbed Samsung Messages, it had been installed on Galaxy devices as the default way to send texts since 2009.
The namesake rival to the likes of WhatsApp and iMessage is no longer available to download on the latest lineup of Samsung smartphones, the Galaxy S26, Galaxy S26+, and Galaxy S26 Ultra, which were launched earlier this year. For owners of older Galaxy handsets, this block is also rolling out across these hugely popular Android devices.
Samsung confirmed plans to retire its Samsung Messages app via a post on its US website.
If you're living Stateside with a Samsung Galaxy in your pocket, Samsung advises switching to Google Messages to continue sending and receiving text messages, photos, and videos.
For those who don't know, Google Messages is available for download via the Google Play Store, although Samsung has preinstalled this popular messaging service alongside its own app since the debut of the Galaxy S21 lineup five years ago.
If you have a relatively recent Samsung Galaxy device, chances are, it's already available on your handset. You might already be using this chat app for your messages and group chats. It's also expected to be pre-installed in the hotly anticipated Galaxy Z Fold 8 and the newly released Galaxy A27.
Samsung says moving over to this service — created and developed by Google, the brand behind the operating system that powers Galaxy devices — will ensure "a consistent messaging experience on Android."
Google Messages supports RCS, which lets you share high-quality photos and videos, supports WhatsApp-like group chat features, and brings real-time typing indicators to your text messages across Android and iOS. This standard means those with green bubbles shouldn't expect an inferior experience.
Google has also introduced AI-powered scam detection and robust spam filters to quickly identify and block suspicious texts — keeping your inbox clean and your personal information safer. Chats are available across your phone, tablet, and smartwatch without interruption, with all messages synchronised.
The latest Google Gemini features, like an experimental new trick called “Remix” to generate images during conversations and AI-powered reply suggestions, come to Google Messages before other text apps.
Owners of Galaxy devices running Android 11 or older operating systems will not be impacted by the discontinuation of Samsung Messages. You'll need to upgrade to a new Samsung Galaxy device to be automatically switched to Google Messages as the new standard for text messages, group chats, and more.
Unsure whether this applies to you? The quickest way to check the Android version running on your Samsung Galaxy is to launch the Settings app, scroll down and tap on About Phone > Software Information. You can also use the search icon in the Settings app and type "Software information" for direct access.
