In a surprising twist, Samsung has decided to reintroduce RCS messaging support in its own Messages app for the Galaxy S25 series, even after heavily promoting Google Messages for several years. Samsung started shifting away from its Messages app a few years ago. By 2022, Google Messages became the default messaging choice for Galaxy phones in the US, and by 2024, Samsung stopped including its app on new devices. Throughout 2024, Samsung encouraged users to switch to Google Messages.
However, it seems Samsung has changed its mind. With the new Galaxy S25, users can now use RCS in the Samsung Messages app, which we’ve tested on an unlocked Galaxy S25 Ultra on T-Mobile’s network. The messages were sent using RCS to a Verizon test number. T-Mobile has been using Google’s RCS system since 2023. Notably, Jeff Springer from SammyGurus confirmed this on his Galaxy S25 Ultra on Verizon, noting a notification that it’s using Google’s RCS setup, not the carrier’s.
Just last month, some US carriers saw Samsung Messages lose RCS support, making this turnaround even more unexpected. Samsung Messages isn’t automatically installed on the Galaxy S25; you have to download it from the Galaxy Store. This move is particularly baffling because Samsung had declared a focus on Google Messages in a statement to Android Authority in January, and even ran ads promoting Google’s app last year.
They had said, “We’re moving all our messaging services to Google Messages and phasing out Samsung Messages. It’s not in the Play Store anymore, but you can still use it if you want. Google Messages offers a better messaging experience with RCS for both Android users and across different platforms.” For those who prefer Samsung’s version, this news is welcome, but it does complicate the recent trend where Samsung was steering users towards Google Messages.
