Verizon Just Shut Down Its Messaging App
Verizon subscribers who used the Message+ text app are now forced to switch to an alternative after the service was discontinued on Monday . The app is the latest casualty of the move to cross-platform RCS, and while it’s probably for the best, loyal users are mourning the loss of some fan-favorite features.
In a Reddit thread on r/dumbphones, users expressed dissatisfaction with the loss of the ability to reply to texts directly from the lock screen or easily check their messages from a PC. (Technically, these featuresare available on other platforms , although they may require some configuration or additional steps.)
However, Apple users and later customers should not be affected. Starting in 2022, Verizon preloads Google Messages on Android devices instead of its own app. Additionally, the iPhone never came with Verizon messages pre-installed.
The closing date actually follows an extension of about a month as originally planned for November 7th. While the app is still available in the iOS app store (it doesn’t appear on Google Play), Verizon says the app can no longer send messages and that all emails associated with it will also stop working. The company encourages Android users to use Google Message instead, and iPhone users to use iMessage.
Why is Verizon dropping Message+?
Verizon’s app, long decried by critics as bloatware, nevertheless maintained some parity with other messaging apps until the introduction of the RCS standard thanks to features such as group chats and typing indicators for conversations in which all users were in the app . However, now that Apple supports RCS on the iPhone , Android messaging apps, both those that use RCS and SMS, have begun to abandon the service in favor of users moving to Google Messages. For example, Samsung no longer installs Samsung Messages on new phones .
RCS, although a universal standard, technically has slight differences in how each company implements it. By ensuring that Android users primarily use one company’s RCS implementation, manufacturers and service providers are making their lives a little easier when it comes to compatibility, especially for texts sent on iOS.
Additionally, Google’s RCS implementation provides end-to-end encryption for messages between Android phones, making it a more secure way to text message. Instead of developing their own encryption solutions, bringing users to Google Messages allows Verizon and Samsung to focus their attention elsewhere.
As for why RCS is worth all this app confusion, encryption support is probably the main reason in favor of the replacement, but the standard also supports grouped texts, input indicators, and high-resolution images and reactions by default rather than in the app . – the basis of the application.
How to switch from Verizon Message+ to Google Messages?
The transition from Verizon’s messaging app to Google’s should be relatively smooth. According to Verizon, your text message history will remain in your device’s local storage and can be viewed through any compatible replacement messaging app. To get started, download Google Messages from the Play Store and open it. You’ll be prompted to make it your default messaging app. Your messages should then transfer over, although full syncing may take a day or so, and you may experience some slowdown during this time.
If you don’t receive the prompt to change your default messaging apps, try looking for it in Settings. This will vary from phone to phone, but typically the option is found under Settings > Apps > Default SMS App .
Once you switch places, you will need to get used to the app. Google Messages has a few settings and features that you may need to get used to; Google has actually written its own guide to help smooth your transition, and it’s worth it if you don’t like the default settings.
What if I don’t want to use Google Messages?
For traditional text messages, Google Messages is probably your best choice, thanks to its end-to-end encryption (assuming the person you’re texting also has Google Messages) and promise of ongoing support. However, since your text messages are stored on your phone and tied to your phone number and not your text client, any alternative text clients will still be able to sync with your text message history. If you’re okay with losing RCS and encryption, Textra SMS is a popular alternative with a minimalist interface.
However, Google Messages still has one major drawback – its messages on iPhone are not encrypted . While Apple’s introduction of RCS has generally made text messaging between iPhone and Android a more enjoyable experience , it means you might want to consider using an instant messaging app instead. These apps send messages over the Internet and don’t sync with your phone number, meaning they can’t access your text message history or rely on your carrier’s SMS/MMS network unless they can get a data connection (RCS also uses the Internet, but can revert to SMS/MMS in an emergency). However, the positive thing is that many of them are end-to-end encrypted by default. Personally, I use Line , a Japanese app popular in East Asia, but WhatsApp is probably more convenient for American audiences. However, since WhatsApp shares data with its owner, Meta, some may instead choose Signal , which is owned by a non-profit organization. Telegram is also popular, although encryption must be enabled for every chat .
The biggest problem with switching to one of these apps is that you can only message other users if they are using the same app, whereas text messages simply depend on the phone number. However, for maximum security, it’s best to use Messenger in addition to your texting app—assuming you can convince your friends and family to switch.