Samsung's longtime default texting app, Samsung Messages, is being discontinued in the United States as of today, ending a service that has shipped on Galaxy devices since 2009 and pushing millions of remaining users to complete their transition to Google Messages.

According to Samsung's official End of Service notice posted on its U.S. support website, the company said it would discontinue the Samsung Messages application in July 2026 and encouraged customers to "upgrade to Google Messages as their default messaging app today to maintain a consistent messaging experience on Android." While that notice referred broadly to a July timeframe, device notifications sent directly to some users identified a specific date. A screenshot obtained by a Chicago television station showed one such alert stating that Samsung Messages was being discontinued on July 6, 2026, a date multiple outlets have since confirmed as the formal shutdown.

The change applies only to the U.S. market and affects devices running Android 12 or later. Samsung has said users on Android 11 or older operating systems are not affected by the discontinuation and will continue to be able to use Samsung Messages as they have in the past. For everyone else, the shutdown marks a hard stop for the app's core function. Once the cutoff takes effect, Samsung said, "sending messages via Samsung Messages on your phone will no longer be possible, except for emergency service numbers or emergency contacts defined in your device." Basic MMS and SMS messaging will remain available in the lead-up to the cutoff, but general texting through the app effectively ends........

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