With the demise of Samsung Messaging...

waynekford · 2026-06-12T16:08:24-0400

Samsung phone users will be forced to use Google Messaging in July. I have tried GM and find it lacking for my use. Aggreviously, it doesn't work with PhoneLink! The advice was to use Google Messaging for the Web. I did. It is a useless and simplistic replace for PhoneLink, especially as it is a browser based app, not native. For example, I use 2FA a lot and when I get a phone message from an bank or whatever containing the 2FA code, it pops up immediately onto my desktop, where I can quickly copy and paste. GMW doesn't even have this feature. My question, is there a replace for PhoneLink that would be more equivalent to the existing phonelink than GMW?

allan · 2026-06-12T17:14:39-0400

If you don't like Google Messages (which, by the way, has great spam detection as well as RCS, etc., there are plenty of free options. Chomp and Textra are just two (both from the same company).

Ghot · 2026-06-12T18:42:08-0400

I'm trying Fossify.
Free, open source, no ads, no account needed.

You can get it in the Play Store.

Seems to work fine.
Unlike Samsung or Google Messages, you have to click a plus sign, to attach things like pics, videos, etc.

Edwin · 2026-06-12T20:04:13-0400

I don't even remember what Samsung Messages was like! Uninstalled it years ago, haven't seen it since!
Never had a problem with Google Messages.

Ghot · 2026-06-12T20:06:10-0400

Edwin said:
I don't even remember what Samsung Messages was like! Uninstalled it years ago, haven't seen it since!
Never had a problem with Google Messages.

I liked Samsung messages.

I didn't have any problems either.
But Google is too nebby for my tastes.

Edwin · 2026-06-12T20:12:13-0400

Ghot said:
Google is too nebby...

Meh, they don't bother me!

antspants · 2026-06-12T20:13:01-0400

Edwin said:
I don't even remember what Samsung Messages was like! Uninstalled it years ago, haven't seen it since!
Never had a problem with Google Messages.

Hey Edwin.

Are you receiving texts from IOS phones OK? (That dont use GM)

FrancoDT · 2026-06-12T20:16:56-0400

I found pluses and minuses to both message apps as I used both extensively. The past year I pretty much stuck with Google so I guess it's good I got use to it. My girlfriend and a friend of mine aren't to happy about the Google switch lol.

FrancoDT · 2026-06-12T20:18:43-0400

antspants said:
Hey Edwin.

Are you receiving texts from IOS phones OK? (That dont use GM)

I'm in a chat group with IOS users and don't have any issues texting back and forth with them.

antspants · 2026-06-12T20:21:04-0400

FrancoDT said:
My girlfriend and a friend of mine aren't to happy about the Google switch lol.

Me either, simply because my mother is as old as Moses and some fool gave her a Samsung. That might ordinarily be fine but the entire family (hundreds of us) use iPhones

The change will confuse the hell out of her, and I am already there around twice a week to fix something simple on her phone.

Scott · 2026-06-12T20:21:59-0400

waynekford said:
The advice was to use Google Messaging for the Web. I did.

I'm using the Google Messages App on my phone and it works perfectly with Phonelink on my computer(s).

FrancoDT · 2026-06-12T20:25:37-0400

Scott said:
I'm using the Google Messages App on my phone and it works perfectly with Phonelink on my computer(s).

Yup, I've been using it awhile with phone link and no issues. I also like it with the Google Messaging website on my PC. Both work really well.

Edwin · 2026-06-12T20:57:55-0400

antspants said:
Hey Edwin.

Are you receiving texts from IOS phones OK? (That dont use GM)

Yes, but some were not getting my replies.
I think the issue has been resolved, though.

MisterEd · 2026-06-12T21:32:49-0400

Sorry for jumping in on this. I will start my own thread if that is best.

I gave my wife an old Samsung S7 phone that still works great. It has Android 8.0. I switched from Samsung Messages to Google Messages. That went OK. Unfortunately, that was only half the problem. The phone is still using the Samsung Phone app which will not work with Google Messages. I tried find a replacement for that without success. The problem is that the contacts are stored in the Contacts app. I tried Google Contacts but the current version won't work with Android 8.0. Any suggestion on what I should do?

HeavyHemi · 2026-06-12T22:48:01-0400

MisterEd said:
Sorry for jumping in on this. I will start my own thread if that is best.

I gave my wife an old Samsung S7 phone that still works great. It has Android 8.0. I switched from Samsung Messages to Google Messages. That went OK. Unfortunately, that was only half the problem. The phone is still using the Samsung Phone app which will not work with Google Messages. I tried find a replacement for that without success. The problem is that the contacts are stored in the Contacts app. I tried Google Contacts but the current version won't work with Android 8.0. Any suggestion on what I should do?

From what I understand, with Android 8.0, you can continue use the Samsung messaging app and it will continue to work normally.

With the demise of Samsung Messaging...

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