Very disappointing that Samsung bowed to Google Pressure to pre install the Google Message App on the newer phones. Now Google can snoop in our lives to further train its AI models. Very disappointing.
Seriously, Google doesn't want to read your mundane text messages. Nor can they Google to Google Messages, they are end to end encrypted.
I don't know if you are aware of the fact that with the implementation of RCS you were beholden to your carrier to support RCS services in the Samsung messages app.
In the US at least carriers are required to retain messages for 30 days on their respective servers. They did not want to build out their servers to handle the massive amounts of data that now get sent with HI Res photos and videos.
Google got tired of waiting for carriers, they circumvented them by hosting their own servers on their Jibe platform.
Texting has become the foremost way of communication with the sending of files I have described, due to not being able to send large files in an email.
Google needed something to compete with Apples IMessage.
I don't think Samsung caved to pressure from Google, as Android is a Google product and Google messages (as well as other Google apps) is installed on all Android phones. Some brands may not make it the default messaging app if they have their own, but going forward, if one wants to utilize RCS features and services, one would have to use Google Messages, as that's what the carriers have decided.
This has been addressed numerous times in this forum.
If you are concerned about using Google apps and services, don't buy a phone that runs Android (a Google product) and is heavily reliant on Google services to work properly.
Google Messages is default because it is the most widely supported, most cross-platform compatible RCS messenger for all Android devices. If you don't want advanced messaging features, you can still use a third party Messaging app.
