Samsung Messages Supports RCS On Galaxy S25, Despite Switch To Google Messages

In a confusing change, Samsung Messages once again supports RCS messaging on the Galaxy S25 series, despite Samsung having gone all-in on Google Messages a while back.

For a while now, Samsung has been moving away from its own Messages app. Google Messages took over as the default messaging app for Galaxy devices in the US back in 2022, and Samsung stopped pre-loading Samsung Messages altogether in 2024. The company also spent a portion of 2024 pushing existing Samsung Messages users over to Google Messages.

Now, though, it seems the company has had a change of heart.

On the Galaxy S25 series, the Samsung Messages app supports RCS. We’ve been able to test this, as pictured below, via an unlocked Galaxy S25 Ultra running on T-Mobile’s network, with messages immediately being sent via RCS to our Verizon test number. T-Mobile switched to relying on Google’s services for RCS in 2023. Jeff Springer of SammyGurus spotted the same on his unlocked Galaxy S25 Ultra running on Verizon’s network, and noted a pop-up that confirms this is using Google’s implementation of RCS rather than a carrier.

Samsung Messages shut down RCS messaging last month for some US carriers.

This is very surprising given Samsung’s clear move away from its own Messages app. Samsung Messages is not pre-loaded on the Galaxy S25 series, and is instead only available for download via the Galaxy Store.

Further adding to the confusion, Samsung issued a statement to Android Authority in January around the prioritization of Google Messages, and directly highlighted Google’s app in an ad campaign last year.

With the close collaboration between Google and Samsung, we have opted to migrate all services to Google Messages and are sunsetting Samsung Messages. It’s no longer available in the PlayStore; however, those who chose to utilize Samsung Messages are still able to do so. We believe that the added functionality of RCS messaging on Google Messages creates an enhanced user experience for both Android-to-Android messaging and across platforms.

For those who prefer Samsung Messages to Google’s offering, this is certainly great news. But it remains a confusing change to the trend we’ve been seeing for the past few years.