<![CDATA[#Samsung is shutting down its text messenging app and forcing people onto #Google for SMS and MMS.]]> is shutting down its text messenging app and forcing people onto for SMS and MMS. At we have been discussing alternatives to avoid Google. Several Reclaimers recommend Fossify Messages and Fossify Contacts as a good alternative, others have used Textra, and we'd all love to know about more options that keep your data private and sovereign.

If you're stuck, check these out and let us all know how you found the switch.
If you're a super user already, share the knowledge! What do you use?

https://www.fossify.org/apps/
https://www.reclaimcontrol.tech

@TheBulletin

]]>https://board.circlewithadot.net/topic/f0604597-40d4-4bb1-9966-6680d65faf5e/samsung-is-shutting-down-its-text-messenging-app-and-forcing-people-onto-google-for-sms-and-mms.RSS for NodeFri, 17 Apr 2026 09:27:58 GMTWed, 08 Apr 2026 13:22:34 GMT60<![CDATA[Reply to #Samsung is shutting down its text messenging app and forcing people onto #Google for SMS and MMS. on Thu, 09 Apr 2026 04:27:20 GMT]]>@cyberlyra @TheBulletin I use https://github.com/SilenceIM/Silence - it's basic, but does the job and offers encryption, which is cool. Unfortunately sending encrypted pictures doesn't work, and it's not been updated for ages, which is a shame.

There is also https://f-droid.org/packages/com.afkanerd.deku, but although I've installed it, I've not actually used it yet. It does get regular updates. It would be good to know if anyone else uses it!

]]>https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://mammut.gogreenit.net/users/chewie/statuses/116372854541253983https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://mammut.gogreenit.net/users/chewie/statuses/116372854541253983Thu, 09 Apr 2026 04:27:20 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to #Samsung is shutting down its text messenging app and forcing people onto #Google for SMS and MMS. on Thu, 09 Apr 2026 03:40:46 GMT]]>@GOKUSHRM @cyberlyra @TheBulletin thanks for confirming!

]]>https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://mastodon.social/users/ni_nad/statuses/116372671485608781https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://mastodon.social/users/ni_nad/statuses/116372671485608781Thu, 09 Apr 2026 03:40:46 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to #Samsung is shutting down its text messenging app and forcing people onto #Google for SMS and MMS. on Thu, 09 Apr 2026 00:12:48 GMT]]>@TheBulletin really appreciate all these shares! Since I don't use Google products or Android myself I don't have this issue personally and don't know much about these systems. BUT this change impacts SO MANY PEOPLE and sharing our collective knowledge really helps us all migrate away and resist that easy click to give it all, again, even more of it, to Google.

]]>https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://hachyderm.io/users/cyberlyra/statuses/116371853687813306https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://hachyderm.io/users/cyberlyra/statuses/116371853687813306Thu, 09 Apr 2026 00:12:48 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to #Samsung is shutting down its text messenging app and forcing people onto #Google for SMS and MMS. on Thu, 09 Apr 2026 00:11:29 GMT]]>@tutormentor1 @TheBulletin Try switching to one of the other apps recommended here. They will all handle your text messages instead.

]]>https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://hachyderm.io/users/cyberlyra/statuses/116371848535069759https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://hachyderm.io/users/cyberlyra/statuses/116371848535069759Thu, 09 Apr 2026 00:11:29 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to #Samsung is shutting down its text messenging app and forcing people onto #Google for SMS and MMS. on Wed, 08 Apr 2026 23:20:09 GMT]]>@cyberlyra I have a bit of a knee-jerk if you will towards the "Fossify" apps. There's a whole lot of them, they come out too fast, and they're all working hard to "sell" themselves complete with I guess "AI" generated descriptions or something (they've got that SEO style and go nuts with emotes and stuff.) It's a knee-jerk, but still, what the heck is going on with them? I dunno...

I've been on Graphene anyway and would avoid anything Samsung to start with, but anyway, one thing I can say is the stock AOSP messenger app is pretty outdated. Graphene has been working on it a bit (but I guess no PRs back?) so it may be worth extracting the APK for some people.

Right now I'm leaning towards that QUIK though. It looks very promising and seems to have good features while staying minimal

]]>https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://urusai.social/users/nazokiyoubinbou/statuses/116371646699478890https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://urusai.social/users/nazokiyoubinbou/statuses/116371646699478890Wed, 08 Apr 2026 23:20:09 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to #Samsung is shutting down its text messenging app and forcing people onto #Google for SMS and MMS. on Wed, 08 Apr 2026 23:07:03 GMT]]>@cyberlyra @TheBulletin
Thank you

]]>https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://mastodon.sdf.org/users/Itchy/statuses/116371595197617600https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://mastodon.sdf.org/users/Itchy/statuses/116371595197617600Wed, 08 Apr 2026 23:07:03 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to #Samsung is shutting down its text messenging app and forcing people onto #Google for SMS and MMS. on Wed, 08 Apr 2026 19:46:33 GMT]]>@cyberlyra @TheBulletin Well that was easy.

]]>https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://mastodon.social/users/lopta/statuses/116370806747271223https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://mastodon.social/users/lopta/statuses/116370806747271223Wed, 08 Apr 2026 19:46:33 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to #Samsung is shutting down its text messenging app and forcing people onto #Google for SMS and MMS. on Wed, 08 Apr 2026 19:42:27 GMT]]>@cyberlyra @TheBulletin Alright, let's see whether I can install that.

]]>https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://mastodon.social/users/lopta/statuses/116370790673621462https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://mastodon.social/users/lopta/statuses/116370790673621462Wed, 08 Apr 2026 19:42:27 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to #Samsung is shutting down its text messenging app and forcing people onto #Google for SMS and MMS. on Wed, 08 Apr 2026 19:24:48 GMT]]>@GwenfarsGarden @cyberlyra @TheBulletin what I read is that some Samsung phones have been coming with google messages for a while and not the samsung messaging app. I got notified on my phone two nights ago that it would need to be switched out by July 6th but read they are rolling it off so you may hav a different end date. My husband has not yet received the message and he and I have the exact same phones. I don't want to switch to Google for messages. I've cut as much of google off on my phone as possible.

]]>https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://social.vivaldi.net/users/daubertla/statuses/116370721253873396https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://social.vivaldi.net/users/daubertla/statuses/116370721253873396Wed, 08 Apr 2026 19:24:48 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to #Samsung is shutting down its text messenging app and forcing people onto #Google for SMS and MMS. on Wed, 08 Apr 2026 17:58:55 GMT]]>@encthenet @cyberlyra @TheBulletin no

]]>https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://mastodon.social/users/GOKUSHRM/statuses/116370383523522738https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://mastodon.social/users/GOKUSHRM/statuses/116370383523522738Wed, 08 Apr 2026 17:58:55 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to #Samsung is shutting down its text messenging app and forcing people onto #Google for SMS and MMS. on Wed, 08 Apr 2026 17:53:12 GMT]]>@cyberlyra

@TheBulletin

Do you know if fossify messages supports rcs? It's not listed on the page. It likely doesn't since it only mentions SMS and mms.

]]>https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://flyovercountry.social/users/encthenet/statuses/116370361033967525https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://flyovercountry.social/users/encthenet/statuses/116370361033967525Wed, 08 Apr 2026 17:53:12 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to #Samsung is shutting down its text messenging app and forcing people onto #Google for SMS and MMS. on Wed, 08 Apr 2026 17:47:41 GMT]]>@cyberlyra @TheBulletin
I use a combination of Telegram and Signal. I occasionally get a regular text message, and I just moved to Fossify for those. Samsung trying to push me towards using another Google product rubs me the wrong way. Aren't they supposed to be competitors?

]]>https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://mastodon.social/users/BoloMKXXVIII/statuses/116370339385731031https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://mastodon.social/users/BoloMKXXVIII/statuses/116370339385731031Wed, 08 Apr 2026 17:47:41 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to #Samsung is shutting down its text messenging app and forcing people onto #Google for SMS and MMS. on Wed, 08 Apr 2026 17:46:02 GMT]]>@ni_nad @cyberlyra @TheBulletin no

]]>https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://mastodon.social/users/GOKUSHRM/statuses/116370332858523433https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://mastodon.social/users/GOKUSHRM/statuses/116370332858523433Wed, 08 Apr 2026 17:46:02 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to #Samsung is shutting down its text messenging app and forcing people onto #Google for SMS and MMS. on Wed, 08 Apr 2026 17:39:44 GMT]]>@cyberlyra @TheBulletin fossify message or right message. Fossify contact & dialer or right contact. Both are grt for Privacy.. If u prefer smooth Ui but with more permissions thn go with right apps. If you want simple Ui but less permissions thn go with fossify apps. For measuring u can go with quik msg the best app
https://f-droid.org/packages/dev.octoshrimpy.quik.fdroid

]]>https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://mastodon.social/users/GOKUSHRM/statuses/116370308087116591https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://mastodon.social/users/GOKUSHRM/statuses/116370308087116591Wed, 08 Apr 2026 17:39:44 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to #Samsung is shutting down its text messenging app and forcing people onto #Google for SMS and MMS. on Wed, 08 Apr 2026 17:34:39 GMT]]>@catmisgivings @cyberlyra @TheBulletin I've never received a notification & I've been using Samsung phones for nearly 20 years.

My carrier, Phone Coop, hasn't said anything either. Ugh.

]]>https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://rage.love/users/GwenfarsGarden/statuses/116370288129890308https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://rage.love/users/GwenfarsGarden/statuses/116370288129890308Wed, 08 Apr 2026 17:34:39 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to #Samsung is shutting down its text messenging app and forcing people onto #Google for SMS and MMS. on Wed, 08 Apr 2026 17:31:57 GMT]]>@cyberlyra @TheBulletin I just installed Fossify on my phone. Looks like the app I had back on my old phone. My current one only had Google sofware for making phone calls etc.

]]>https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://social.vivaldi.net/ap/users/115940593092044550/statuses/116370277495473074https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://social.vivaldi.net/ap/users/115940593092044550/statuses/116370277495473074Wed, 08 Apr 2026 17:31:57 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to #Samsung is shutting down its text messenging app and forcing people onto #Google for SMS and MMS. on Wed, 08 Apr 2026 17:16:10 GMT]]>@noodlejetski @chris @cyberlyra @TheBulletin which is especially maddening since the initial Android reference code DID support other apps.

honestly I suggest treating RCS as "Google", but with the added benefit of "and platform-enforced to be only Google" and avoiding it.

]]>https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://hachyderm.io/users/groxx/statuses/116370215415555505https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://hachyderm.io/users/groxx/statuses/116370215415555505Wed, 08 Apr 2026 17:16:10 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to #Samsung is shutting down its text messenging app and forcing people onto #Google for SMS and MMS. on Wed, 08 Apr 2026 17:14:47 GMT]]>@cyberlyra @TheBulletin this also helps entrench Google Messages as nearly the only RCS app out there.

which is a good thing only if it hastens RCS's death.

]]>https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://hachyderm.io/users/groxx/statuses/116370209985652296https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://hachyderm.io/users/groxx/statuses/116370209985652296Wed, 08 Apr 2026 17:14:47 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to #Samsung is shutting down its text messenging app and forcing people onto #Google for SMS and MMS. on Wed, 08 Apr 2026 17:13:08 GMT]]>@cyberlyra @TheBulletin They don't have anything to offer for this particular issue, but lots of other nice things: https://european-alternatives.eu

]]>https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://social.vivaldi.net/ap/users/115940593092044550/statuses/116370203489688912https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://social.vivaldi.net/ap/users/115940593092044550/statuses/116370203489688912Wed, 08 Apr 2026 17:13:08 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to #Samsung is shutting down its text messenging app and forcing people onto #Google for SMS and MMS. on Wed, 08 Apr 2026 17:07:37 GMT]]>@cyberlyra @TheBulletin

This shutdown will leave only two choices for RCS: Messages from Google or Apple. RCS has some nice features, but it's far from an open standard.

A tip for using open source SMS/MMS apps is to turn off RCS at the carrier level.

]]>https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://fediscience.org/users/garyfisk/statuses/116370181807160821https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://fediscience.org/users/garyfisk/statuses/116370181807160821Wed, 08 Apr 2026 17:07:37 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to #Samsung is shutting down its text messenging app and forcing people onto #Google for SMS and MMS. on Wed, 08 Apr 2026 17:01:12 GMT]]>@moldavia @cyberlyra @TheBulletin - I too have had issues with Simple/Fossify Messages group txts (esp. grups with MMS messages, which I think are default for iPhones?). I'm a longtime SimpleMobileTools user and like the other Fossify apps, but can anyone recommend from experience a better FOSS SMS app than Fossify Messages?

]]>https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://urbanists.social/users/ehasbrouck/statuses/116370156561670871https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://urbanists.social/users/ehasbrouck/statuses/116370156561670871Wed, 08 Apr 2026 17:01:12 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to #Samsung is shutting down its text messenging app and forcing people onto #Google for SMS and MMS. on Wed, 08 Apr 2026 16:52:39 GMT]]>@GwenfarsGarden @cyberlyra @TheBulletin Mine notified me to switch yesterday. It still worked. I think it said something about when it would stop working, but I didn't pay attention, I just switched.

]]>https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://freeradical.zone/users/zillion/statuses/116370122990363556https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://freeradical.zone/users/zillion/statuses/116370122990363556Wed, 08 Apr 2026 16:52:39 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to #Samsung is shutting down its text messenging app and forcing people onto #Google for SMS and MMS. on Wed, 08 Apr 2026 16:51:27 GMT]]>@saucerlost @cyberlyra @TheBulletin Thank you.

]]>https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://mastodon.social/users/starluna/statuses/116370118247771875https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://mastodon.social/users/starluna/statuses/116370118247771875Wed, 08 Apr 2026 16:51:27 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to #Samsung is shutting down its text messenging app and forcing people onto #Google for SMS and MMS. on Wed, 08 Apr 2026 16:51:25 GMT]]>@cyberlyra @TheBulletin
I switched to Fossify Messages. I tried a couple of others, but group messaging is completely broken after switching. All RCS chat's I was in don't work anymore. I can sometimes send, but I never receive anything.
Google took an open communication platform and turned it into a closed system by introducing "features" and calling it RCS.

]]>https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://mstdn.party/ap/users/115696914872239773/statuses/116370118119078723https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://mstdn.party/ap/users/115696914872239773/statuses/116370118119078723Wed, 08 Apr 2026 16:51:25 GMT