While Samsung seemed to have sealed the deal with its in-house messaging app, it's now reinventing itself with features directly inspired, or even taken from, Google Messages. Removed from the Play Store and presented as obsolete at the launch of the Galaxy S25, the Samsung Messages app is still there... and about to become much smarter with One UI 8.
Despite its announced end, Samsung Messages is evolving with One UI 8
When the Galaxy S25 series was launched, Samsung announced that it wanted to discontinue its Samsung Messages app, preferring Google Messages, which had become the default solution on its smartphones. The app had even disappeared from the Play Store, proof of an almost official abandonment. But the scenario seems to be reversing. Far from being buried, the app remains available on the Galaxy Store and continues to receive updates. In February, it regained RCS support, which had been removed a few months earlier to facilitate the transition to Google Messages.
Since then, other new features have arrived: editing of sent messages, automatic deletion of one-time passwords after 24 hours... and that was just the beginning. The first lines of code from the One UI 8 firmware suggest an ambitious overhaul of Samsung Messages, with some welcome additions.
Samsung draws a lot of inspiration from Google Messages
Among the upcoming features, some are directly taken from Google Messages. Birthday reminders are one of them: the application will notify the user of the birthday of their contacts, encouraging them to send a message. Another major addition: live location sharing. Already in preparation on Google's side, this function will be, at the Korean giant, linked to the Samsung Find application. The user will be able to share their location temporarily or indefinitely, revoke it at any time, refuse an invitation to share it, or be alerted if the recipient declines access.
Samsung is also planning the arrival of emoji and sticker reactions, similar to Google Messages' Photomoji. On the security side, One UI 8's "Now Brief" feature should notify the user of suspicious, blocked, or malicious messages. In short, Samsung Messages doesn't seem to have said its last word.
Source: Android Authority
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