Samsung is ditching its messaging app for Google Messages

Samsung’s One UI skin, found on the brand’s entry-level, mid-range, flagship and foldable smartphones is known for plenty of customisation options. What it’s also known for is Samsung’s own app for a lot of day-to-day tasks. this includes Samsung’s own browser, its own phone app, its own Health app, and even a messaging app called Samsung Messages for SMS. The latter, however, is now surprisingly set to be replaced by Google Messages. 

 As per numerous reports, the new Galaxy Z Fold6 and Galaxy Z Flip6, both of which Samsung launched earlier this month, come pre-installed with Google Messages instead of Samsung’s own Messages app in the US. The move signals a shift in the default messaging tool that could affect all Samsung phones moving forward, from budget devices like the Galaxy M34 to flagship smartphones like the Galaxy S24 Ultra. 

Google Messages on Samsung phones: What it means for you

While currently limited to the US, we may see Samsung eventually ditching its own Messages app in other regions too. This includes India, where the South Korean brand remains a popular choice across segments. 

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Due to the change, long-term users of Samsung Messages may see a small learning curve when they upgrade to their next Samsung. That said, the change is unlikely to affect many people in India and other Asian countries, where SMS is not the primary choice for instant messaging, and third-party apps like WhatsApp or Line reign supreme. 

A recap of the Google Dialer takeover

If you’ve observed custom Android skins for a while, the switch might feel familiar, because we saw a similar movement happen with the Google Dialer. Go back about five years and most Android OEMs had their own dialer app, while only stock Android phones would stick to the Google Dialer.  

That eventually changed and today, nearly all Android phones come with the Google Dialer as their default calling application. It remains to be seen how quickly the change will affect other Samsung phones, and whether it would affect only new launches or older phones as well.