Samsung Messages is one of those apps that does not get mentioned much these days, and for good reason. The manufacturer has been laying the groundwork to have Google Messages fully replace its messaging app for a while now, and there’s now an official timeline coming through for the death of Samsung Messages.
In an end-of-service announcement on the Samsung Messages US page, the company said the app will be “discontinued” in July. While no specifics were provided, users can reportedly find the “exact date” in the Samsung Messages app.
Samsung has provided instructions for switching to Google Messages on devices running Android 12 and 13. As the graphic above shows, users will need to manually move the Google Messages icon/shortcut to the home screen dock (via SammyGuru).
The process of switching is fairly simple for devices running Android 14 and newer, as the onscreen instructions guide you through setting Google Messages as the default messaging app. Furthermore, these Galaxy phones will also automatically move the Google Messages icon to the home screen dock, the company said.
Users of the recently launched Galaxy S26 and upcoming flagships are already unable to download Samsung Messages, so this news has no impact on them.
Older smartwatches will be impacted
For those who continue to use Samsung Messages even after its discontinuation, the company says no messages will go through “except for emergency service numbers or emergency contacts defined in your device.”
Samsung has stated that devices running Android 11 or older aren’t affected by this particular end-of-service announcement. But there will be some limitations to the app’s functionality on older smartwatches, especially the ones running Tizen OS.
Specifically, smartwatches released before the Galaxy Watch 4 don’t support Google Messages. This means these smartwatches will be unable to show the full conversation history after the discontinuation of Samsung Messages in July, with functionality being limited to reading and sending text messages.
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Meanwhile, devices launched before 2022 may witness interruptions in RCS after switching to Google Messages, with SMS/MMS remaining unaffected, according to Samsung. However, RCS can be restored again if “both parties switch to Google Messages.”
As you would expect, Samsung also details some of the benefits of switching to Google Messages, highlighting features such as advanced spam filters and scam detection, multi-device connectivity, and the app’s suite of AI features, in addition to RCS.
