Verizon’s proprietary Google Messages alternative isn’t dead yet

• Verizon is discontinuing its Message+ app in favor of Google Messages.

• Google Messages offers advanced RCS messaging features.

• Apple enabling RCS for iPhones improves messaging compatibility between iPhones and Androids.

Google Messages is a great app that first launched on phones in 2014, and many users consider it the primary messaging app on Android devices. Likewise, RCS messaging Support was first added to Messages in 2018; depended on carrier support. In 2019, Google took a step forward and created Jibe, a global RCS provider that supports the protocol even if the user carrier does not support it. This initial leap in RCS gave Google a huge advantage in this area, which gave phone manufacturers Samsung is alienating users from its own messaging app and Googles. For Verizon phone owners still using the old Verizon Message+ app, which is shutting down today, users now have one more month before leaving it all behind.

Verizon had previously announced He said that he would completely shut down the messaging application by November 7, which is today, and started to stop the application on October 2. Droid LifeVerizon’s support page recently changed to say that Message+ will be discontinued entirely on December 9th, rather than November 7th. Verizon is instructing its customers to switch their default messaging app to Google Messages and is discontinuing the app as Google Messages offers more features. More modern RCS messaging experience from Verizon Message+. Once the application is completely closed, messages can no longer be sent or received via the client.

RCS is the next generation messaging protocol

Verizon announced in 2021: By 2022, all Android devices will come with Google Messages downloaded and RCS is enabled by default. This has given Google a strong foothold against major US carriers as Verizon joins the Google Messages partnership with AT&T and T-Mobiles on Android smartphones. More than half a decade ago, Verizon was working on its own carrier-specific RCS protocol. We even wrote this Verizon’s bringing RCS messaging to Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL phones in 2018.

The biggest news this year regarding smartphone brands and RCS messaging adoption was: Apple’s decision to enable the protocol for iPhones. Starting with iOS 18, iPhones can receive RCS messages, making messaging between iPhones and Android devices easier than ever. This news made Google so happy that practically made an iOS commercial throughout the summer. With fully encrypted iPhone RCS chats are on the wayThe future of basic messaging has taken a big leap forward, and it’s a good thing all remaining Verizon Message+ users have made the switch.