Samsung’s beloved Messages app will not come pre-installed on future Galaxy devices. With the adoption of Google Messages as the default messaging app, Samsung users are stepping into a new era. This change first started in the Galaxy S21 series and now continues with the Galaxy Z Fold 6 and Z Flip 6 models. Here are all the details about this important change.
Is this the end of the Samsung Messages app?
Samsung offered Google Messages to its users by making Google Messages the default messaging app with the Galaxy S21 series in Europe in 2021. The same step was repeated a year later with the Galaxy S22 series in the US. Now, it turns out that the Messages app has been completely removed in the Galaxy Z Fold 6 and Z Flip 6 foldable models.
This change was discovered by analyst Max Weinbach via a notification in the Samsung Members app. The notification mentions the benefits of Google Messages and states that RCS (Rich Communication Services) is enabled by default on new devices.
The Samsung Messages app has not disappeared completely. Samsung will make it available through the Galaxy Store, but some features may be missing. As Android expert Mishaal Rahman notes, the Galaxy Z Fold 6 and Z Flip 6 models in Canada and Europe will come pre-loaded with Samsung Messages, but will use Google Messages by default. This change seems to be limited to the US for now.
While opting for Google Messages offers many advantages to Galaxy users, some users may miss the Samsung experience. Therefore, it may be a consolation for users that Samsung continues to make the app accessible through the Galaxy Store. However, it also seems likely that the Messages app will disappear completely.