I am very disturbed with the Google Messaging switch. I tried it & it does NOT compare to Samsung Messaging! The RCS feature is not needed. Sure one can send emoji responses on a message like iPhone but if that's what one desires, GET AN IPHONE! It only works when the receiving party uses the same RCS feature on their Android phone anyway. The overall features on the Samsung Messaging app has way more personal customization features that make each & every chat/group more visible & organized. I will stick with Samsung Messaging until forced to switch on ALL platforms.
It is mandatory to switch to another messaging app, as Samsung messages is being discontinued. It is NOT mandatory that it be Google (unless you want RCS). You are being encouraged to use Google as that will be the automatic default messaging app for the phone and it has RCS. You can still use any app you want (except Samsung, as it won't be available)
Inferior app? One BILLION Google messages users will certainly disagree with you there. They surpassed one billion downloads a while ago - and that's just downloads - it does not include that which is pre-installed on most android phones. Even if some of those downloads were to test the app and then deleted, that still leaves millions and millions and millions of satisfied users.
And potentially one billion ways to collect data and allow access to be hacked as well. Google doesn't have a good track record when it comes to security. Also, GM isn't native to other phones except Pixel, especially when you consider that the trash permanently deletes texts as compared to the native app on Samsung models. It will be interesting to see if Google decides to update the messaging app to accommodate the forced switch to its app. One wonders how long Google will support it since Google tends to abandon support for its apps moreso than others.
Not native to other phones? That's how I originally got it. My first phones were not Samsung and each of the 5 brands I had all had Google as the default messaging app. Asus, Motorola, Blu, Doogee. At one point, AT&T has their on messaging app, but still had Google. Samsung phones had Google installed, but not as the default. Gave SM a try til it made my eyes bleed and put Google as the default.
You think you information isn't collected every where you go and with everything you do these days? You think Samsung or your carrier or your credit card company, of the government isnt collecting your data? The encryption in RCS is so that no one can intercept your data.
It's mandatory to switch to some other messaging app, not mandatory to switch to Google (unless you want to utilize RCS). You just will no longer have use of Samsung messages after July 6, because Samsung made the decision to discontinue the app; which they have every right to do .
Why is Samsung discontinuing their message app and replacing it with Google message? The best feature about Samsung message app is the categories we get to create to organize the hundreds of people we know. Google messaging app does not do this and it will be so hard to locate people now. Sigh*
