Samsung Messages lives on thanks to this unofficial RCS app

Samsung may have pulled the plug on Samsung Messages, in the US, at the very least, but one developer isn't ready to let the app fade into history. Now, a third-party project is underway to mimic the familiar Samsung messaging experience, including Rich Communication Services (RCS), providing long-time Galaxy users an alternative to Google Messages.

The app, simply called Messages, is made by OzarksMade and is designed to look a lot like Samsung’s retired messaging client. It comes in two separate configurations: Standalone Mode for basic SMS/MMS, and Companion Mode for full RCS chat capabilities. Since third-party developers are constrained by strict platform gating and cannot directly access RCS networks, Companion Mode employs the pre-installed Google Messages app as a background engine.

The developer notes that Samsung's native chat features already relied on Google's Jibe infrastructure for seven years, so your texts follow the exact same path they always have, just wrapped up in the interface you might actually want.

You get real One UI design touches such as rounded cards, collapsible headers, chip filters, conversation categories, and a dedicated trash bin for recovered texts. RCS will bring features like the blue chat bubbles, typing indicators, read receipts, group messaging, and high-quality media sharing, with custom chat themes coming in a future update.

The app is currently in open beta and will be launching 14 days after its Google Group reaches 12 members. You can try it now for free by joining the Google Play tester group that uses a test card at checkout. Once it goes public, it will cost a one-time fee of $0.99. If you’re not ready to give up Samsung’s aesthetic but still need modern messaging functionality, the app might be the perfect bridge.

OzarksMade is a US-based software developer who appears to only have published one app on Google Play thus far.