ISLAMABAD: Android offers a distinct feature that enables users to select a default texting app for sending SMS and MMS messages through their carrier.
During its initial stages, numerous apps embraced this feature, seeking to entice users to their messaging platforms.
An instance is Facebook Messenger, which amalgamated SMS messages with its web-based instant messages, providing a comprehensive texting solution.
However, this feature is slated for discontinuation in the near future.
Meta, the company behind Facebook, has declared that it will cease supporting SMS Messenger, commencing from Sept 28, 2023.
If users are currently utilizing Messenger for their SMS requirements, they will need to either download a new SMS app or use the default SMS app on their phone once Messenger updates on or after September 28.
Failure to take any action will result in the phone automatically reverting to its pre-install SMS app once the update is rolled out.
merging online chats with traditional SMS
In 2016, Meta integrated SMS functionality into Messenger, granting Android users the convenience of merging online chats with traditional SMS messages.
This move was successful in a brief trial of SMS support in 2012, which was subsequently removed in 2013. The 2016 revival introduced purple-colored SMS threads, distinguishing them from the conventional blue online chats.
The inclination toward third-party SMS apps has experienced a recent decline, with users increasingly gravitating toward the enhanced features offered by web-based instant messaging platforms like Messenger and WhatsApp.
Simultaneously, Google has been advocating for RCS as a substitute for SMS and MMS. The decision to phase out SMS from Messenger could mirror this broader trend.
Nevertheless, Messenger remains dynamic. Earlier this year, the platform bolstered its end-to-end encrypted (E2EE) chats, with the goal of standardizing private conversations by the end of 2023.
This aligns with other popular messaging platforms such as Signal, WhatsApp, and Google Messages, all of which prioritize default E2EE.
The upcoming weeks signify a period of transformation for users of Messenger’s SMS service.
Taking proactive measures to transition to an alternative SMS platform before the September deadline would be prudent. For guidance, users can consult our list of the best communication apps for Android.
