In a move that’s not exactly a shocker, Verizon is putting the final nail in the coffin of its Message+ app on Android, including Galaxy devices. Over the past few months, Verizon has jumped on the bandwagon, opting to shut down its Message+ app in favor of Google Messages. Today marks the final day of its existence.
Verizon has officially killed Message+ in push for Google Messages
Originally reported by Droid Life last month, Verizon had told the publication that it planned to cease support for Message+ on December 9. Well, the day has arrived — today is December 9, and Verizon has officially killed the Message+ app.
If you missed this update a month ago, fret not. In fact, this isn’t a downgrade. It’s actually a step forward. Switching to Google Messages is a wise call, offering a much better experience. For die-hard Message+ fans, the transition may take some getting used to. But trust me, it will be worth it in the long run.
I looked into finding additional details while reporting on this. Turns out, the landing FAQs page for the app now throws a 404 error.
It’s officially RCS time, folks
Verizon is also recommending users switch to Google Messages. If you’re wondering what happens to your old texts, Verizon confirms that SMS/MMS messages from the Message+ app are still stored locally. So, you can access them through Google Messages or any other SMS app.
When you open the Message+ app now, you’ll see a big fat message at the top. It reads, “Message+ was shut down on 12/9/24.” This follows Verizon’s push for Google Messages, as per screenshots shared by 9to5Google. It says, “Make Google Messages your default messaging application, and all your messaging history will transfer.”
There’s clear frustration among users who weren’t expecting the change, but it’s been written on the wall for quite some time.
