This App (in a Sense) Brings Back Samsung Messages.
Earlier this month, Samsung officially ended support for its signature messaging app . This wasn’t a big surprise. The company announced the demise of Samsung Messages back in April , and before that, it had been gradually distancing itself from the app by not installing it by default on new Galaxy phones. If you have a newer Galaxy model, you may not even have been using Samsung Messages at the time of the discontinuation. But for users of older models, the app’s discontinuation was a sad and disappointing event, as the only viable option for preserving messaging features and history is Google Messages—a decent chat app, but another Google product that Galaxy users must rely on.
As reported by Android Authority , app developer OzarksMade wants to continue the legacy of Samsung Messages. Rather than continue the original app, OzarksMade has created a new messaging app that mimics the look and functionality of Samsung Messages: Messages by OzarksMade . The new app is designed with both Samsung Messages and One UI in mind: to the untrained eye, it looks not only like the Samsung Galaxy app but also like Samsung Messages.
The Messages by OzarksMade app also adds RCS support. However, there’s a catch: while you can send and receive RCS messages in Messages by OzarksMade, you’ll need to use Google Messages via Messages by OzarksMade’s “Companion Mode.” You don’t need to use the Google Messages app itself, but it will enable RCS in the new app. Using Companion Mode is optional, and you can opt out of Google Messages altogether, but you’ll be limited to SMS and MMS—the native Samsung Messages experience.
While you should be cautious when choosing any new messaging app as your primary app, OzarksMade states that all messages remain on the device, so the app does not store your text messages on its servers. Furthermore, OzarksMade claims to collect anonymous information solely for statistical purposes, including “a random identifier generated on your device, the app version and release channel, your device model, and Android version.” However, as Android Authority notes, the app is very similar to Samsung products, and the company may attempt to shut down the app if it believes OzarksMade has infringed any copyrights.
How to try Messages by OzarksMade
The new app isn’t out yet; it launches on Thursday, August 13th. If you’re interested in this app, you’ll need to join the Messages by OzarksMade beta , which is currently ongoing. To get started , join the app’s Google Group using the same Google account you have on your phone. Once you join, you’ll be able to see the Messages by OzarksMade page on the Play Store here . The developer states that the app will cost $0.99 on the Play Store, but since you’ve joined the Google Group, after tapping the payment button, you’ll see an option called “Test card, always approved.” Selecting this option will allow you to download the app for free. If you don’t see this option, you haven’t registered with the Google Group correctly and will need to try again.