A few days ago, it came to light that Samsung is ditching its Samsung Messages app for Google Messages. This means that after pre-loading Galaxy devices with two messaging apps, Samsung Messages and Google Messages, for years, Samsung finally decided to pick Google Messages over its app.
This change was reportedly applicable to Galaxy devices in the US, starting with the recently launched Galaxy Z Flip6 and Galaxy Z Fold6. The company simply put out a notice to its Galaxy users confirming that Google Messages, with RCS enabled by default, will be the default texting app on Galaxy phones. Galaxy users were still allowed to download the Samsung Messages app from the Galaxy Store. However, some features were excluded.
Samsung did not explain why this decision was made. Thankfully, the company has opened up and explained its side of the story to ditch Samsung Messages for Google Messages.
Samsung said to Android Authority:
Samsung and Google have been closely working together on many communication service areas and this collaborative effort to make Google Messages the default common messaging platform for the Android mobile ecosystem will accelerate the adoption of Rich Communication Services (RCS) and deliver a more robust and engaging mobile messaging experience to Galaxy users.
A Samsung source further elaborated on this issue and explained why the company decided to pull the plugs on the Samsung Messages app from its Galaxy devices:
Even if messaging apps follow the RCS standard, the availability may be limited depending on which app the other party uses. That’s why we decided to make Google Messages the common messaging platform, allowing Galaxy users to communicate more freely. This also enables a messaging app to respond to changes of the RCS standard more quickly and efficiently.
Google Messages supports RCS regardless of the carrier, whereas the Samsung Messages app depends on the mobile network for RCS. This could be one of the main reasons Samsung switched over to Google Messages.