The Samsung Galaxy S25 has arrived, but a familiar app is missing. Samsung has replaced its own Samsung Messages app with Google Messages as the default messaging platform. This change marks a significant shift in Samsung’s mobile strategy.
Google Messages is now the only pre-installed messaging app on the Galaxy S25. Samsung confirmed this move in a statement to Android Authority, explaining that the transition aims to provide a better user experience, particularly with the enhanced functionality of RCS messaging within Google Messages. This integration improves both Android-to-Android communication and cross-platform messaging.
A person holding the Samsung Galaxy S25, showing the Samsung Messages app.
While Samsung Messages is no longer pre-installed, it’s still accessible through Samsung’s Galaxy Store. However, the Galaxy Store version comes with limitations. According to the app description, it lacks support for Samsung Themes, features introduced after One UI 6.1.1, and RCS functionality when using satellite mode.
A person holding the Samsung Galaxy S25, showing the Samsung Messages app.
This change isn’t entirely unexpected. In July 2024, Samsung informed Galaxy users through the Samsung Members app that the Galaxy Z Fold 6 and Galaxy Z Flip 6 would feature Google Messages instead of Samsung Messages. This initial shift was region-specific, but the Galaxy S25 marks its broader adoption across all markets. Verizon’s earlier announcement that Samsung Messages would lose RCS support further signaled this transition.
The move reinforces the growing importance of RCS messaging and the collaboration between Google and Samsung. Whether this change will extend to other Galaxy phones with future One UI 7 updates remains to be seen. If you’re eager to experience the new default messaging experience, Google Messages is readily available for download from the Google Play Store.
