I see the controversy and raucous regarding the end of support for Samsung's Messages app, and it being replaced by Google's. Heck, it's making headlines in news outlets. The unhappiness and frustration is understandable, especially given that Samsung's Messages app in its simplest form is still better than Google's at its most advanced, in my opinion. But do understand that this doesn't seem like a decision made by Samsung, Google seems to be the pioneer here, from what I could garner anyway. A message came in from my network carrier, AT&T, stating that its RCS Advanced Messaging service will be shutdown in July, just as Samsung said it would its Messaging app. This is no coincidence. I reached out to AT&T, and a rep confirmed to me that the message I got was not only legit, but also correct. So, from what I could deduce, this has been on the horizon and have been planned all along by Google, albeit quietly, and it's now getting all Carriers and Android OEMs to gear up towards this direction. 
Samsung, being the biggest manufacturer of Android phones, it would make sense Google tapping them first as their harbinger, ergo reaching wider and further to the audience. Google has been pushing RCS front and centre via their messages app, but since Android OEMs have their own version of app for messaging, compatibility becomes an issue. So, by getting all Android manufacturers to shut down their own app for messaging, and all network carriers to end RCS support for said messaging apps, and have only one unified app across all Android OEMs for messaging, Google can have all Android OEMs and Carriers alike focusing resources on one messaging platform which would make it more fluid to work cooperatively and make interoperability easy, not just among different OEMs but OS' as well. This is probably going to be Apple's iMessage but for Android, moving forward. But, since Google really doesn't have a good track record when it comes to making and sustaining messaging apps longterm โ just look at Allo, Hangouts, Google+ Messenger, Duo, to mention a few โ I'm not sure how this is going to go, it still remains to be seen. Hopefully, Google keeps improving its Messaging app with useful features and additions and also give OEMs leeway to add their own finishing touches without compromise, in the future.
