Samsung has decided to abandon its own Messages app.

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      And indeed, you’re making the switch to Google.

      Samsung S26 Plus

      Moinak Pal/Digital Trends / Moinak Pal/Digital Trends

      Samsung is finally taking a step that it should have done long ago: discontinuing its Messages app. While this may seem like just another app shutdown, it is more than just a feature being phased out. It’s Samsung essentially saying, “Just use Google’s app instead.”

      Samsung Messages is officially on its way out

      Samsung has officially revealed that its native Messages app will cease to exist in July 2026, with users encouraged to adopt Google Messages as the default alternative. Once this cutoff occurs, Samsung Messages will no longer operate as a typical texting application, and users will generally need to make a switch if they wish to continue sending standard texts.

      Samsung

      Now, here’s the intriguing part: this hasn't come as a surprise. Samsung has been gradually distancing itself from its own app for years. As reported by 9to5Google, new Galaxy phones already come with Google Messages set as the default, and in some cases, Samsung Messages isn’t even included in the initial setup anymore. So this isn’t an abrupt decision; it’s simply the final blow to Samsung Messages.

      This feels less like a shutdown… and more like capitulation

      Rather than continuing to support its own app, Samsung is completely ceding control to Google, banking on a more streamlined Android messaging experience driven by RCS. On the surface, this looks reasonable. Compared to Samsung Messages, Google Messages offers greater consistency across devices, supports modern functionalities such as read receipts, enhanced media sharing, and encryption, and plays more harmoniously with carriers.

      Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

      However, there is a slightly unpleasant aftertaste to this change. Android has historically been about providing options, and Samsung has been one of its strongest advocates. Now, it’s essentially eliminating its own alternative and nudging everyone into a single app.

      You must be joking. Google Messages? The design is terrible, I can’t distinguish marked messages from others, and I can’t see unread messages. What’s good about Google Messages? — Grwilliam (@Grwilliam5) April 5, 2026

      And online reactions have been mixed. Some users are okay with this shift, while others are already voicing their frustrations about losing a familiar interface and being pushed into Google's ecosystem. Samsung may be streamlining things, but it's also gradually turning into just another skin on Google.

      Varun is a seasoned tech journalist and editor with over eight years in consumer technology media. His work covers...

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