Samsung shakes things up by switching to Google Messages on the new Galaxy Flip and Fold
Samsung is ditching its first-party messaging app in the United States and making Google Messages the default pre-installed option. The company made the announcement in an announcement sent via the Samsung Members app.
It says that “Samsung Messages will no longer be preloaded” on the Galaxy Z Flip6, Z Fold6 and “newer models”. Google Messages is the new choice because it offers an “enhanced experience” by allowing users to express themselves safely, the notice said.
Judging by the wording, the company appears to be talking about RCS, or Rich Communication Services. Google created this messaging protocol to significantly improve text messaging between Android phones.
RCS can send a variety of file types in addition to plain text messages, supports high-resolution images and videos, and protects your data with end-to-end encryption. Samsung Messages does support the protocol, but not in the same way as Google Messages, which is more widely available.
Samsung Messages “will still be available to download from the Galaxy Store,” but some of its features “will be removed.” Which ones exactly is unknown, as neither the notification nor the app listing explains what has been removed.
Missing info
There is a fair amount of important information missing. Is the adoption of Google Message a global update to begin with?
Early reports indicate that the switch is only happening in the United States, and industry expert Mishaal Rahman took X (the platform formerly known as Twitter) and wrote that the “Canadian and European builds for the Galaxy Z Flip6 and Fold6” still have the first-party app pre-installed. “US unlocked only [and] “Carrier units” see the update.
Additionally, it’s unknown if the switch will happen elsewhere. The announcement mentioned something about newer models, but we don’t know if the tech giant is referring to the upcoming Galaxy S25 or the S24 series. There’s a good chance these changes will roll out to older devices as well. Back in 2022, For the Galaxy S22, the company decided to make Google Messages the default RCS app, while allowing users to keep its own software as a secondary option.
In 2024, the two giants joined forces in a broad-based partnership that spans everything from smartphones to artificial intelligence. Ditching one (perceivedly inferior) messaging app to bolster its contemporary superior one may be Samsung’s current mentality.
We’ve reached out to Samsung to ask if other models are affected and if there are plans to roll out the changes globally. This story will be updated if we hear back.
Be sure to check out TechRadar’s list of the best Samsung phones for 2024.
