Google Messages is finally Samsung’s go-to messaging app for US users

Good news for Android fans today. Google Messages is going to be the default messaging app on Samsung handsets in the US. That’s a huge win for consumers, and an even bigger win for Google and their RCS messaging standard.

The biggest surprise here is that Samsung no longer uses its own Samsung Messages app by default. Samsung has often created its own, self-branded apps that aimed to copy all of the functionality of Google’s stock apps, but often fell short of the mark.

Now everyone in the US who buys a Samsung handset will have the benefits of RCS messaging by default. Those include typing indicators, the ability to share higher quality images, and things like read receipts. You know, all the things that any modern messaging service should have.

In a statement to The Verge, a spokesperson notes, “To create the best possible messaging experience for users — with a richer, more engaging communication experience that is consistent across platforms — Samsung is now making Messages the default messaging app for Galaxy S22 series users worldwide, giving them even better capabilities.”

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Do you know who isn’t using RCS yet? Apple, who seems to be in no hurry to adopt the new messaging standard. It would be nice for Android and iPhone users to text in harmony, without the differing colored bubbles but that utopian ideal seems a long way off.

Anyway, even if Apple doesn’t join in, having Samsung adopt Google Messages as the default messaging app on its handsets is a win for users. Having all Android devices in the US using Google Messages, and RCS, finally means all Android users have a modern messaging system by default. And that’s no small thing.

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Joe Rice-Jones

Maker, meme-r, and unabashed geek with nearly half a decade of blogging experience. If it runs on electricity (or even if it doesn't), Joe probably has one around his office somewhere. His hobbies include photography, animation, and hoarding Reddit gold.