Comply with these steps to change off of the soon-to-be-discontinued Verizon Message+ app

Not way back, major US cellular carrier Verizon introduced its intent to close down its Message+ texting service. The app continues to be listed on each the Apple App Store and the Google Play Store, however the firm is urging customers to transition to another quickly somewhat than later.

The Verizon Message+ discontinuation started in earnest on October 2, with a full shut down slated for November 7. The company recommends Android customers swap to the Google Messages app, and that iPhone customers migrate to the built-in iOS Apple Messages app.

The Verizon Message+ discontinuation comes at a time by which Rich Communications Service (RCS) help is rising in each reputation and attain. This newer texting normal is safer and extra feature-rich than the old-school Brief Message Service (SMS) and Multimedia Messaging Service (MMS) protocols.

“The message house is quickly altering and we wish you to have the perfect messaging expertise,’ says Verizon on its official support page.

Associated

What is RCS? The standard unifying chat, explained

Google Messages helps RCS messaging and Apple is including it to the iPhone in 2024 with iOS 18. However what’s RCS messaging?

The best way to transition away from Verizon’s Message+ app

You will wish to swap to another texting app earlier than November 7 hits

If in case you have a Verizon Android cellphone, comply with these steps emigrate off of Message+ and onto Google’s own messaging platform.

1. Navigate to the Google Play Retailer.
2. Use the Search tab to seek for Google Messages.
3. As soon as Google Messages has completed downloading and putting in, faucet on its app icon.
4. When the Google Messages app launches, faucet on Set default SMS app.
5. From right here, choose Messages after which faucet on the Set as default button.
6. Alternatively, you possibly can faucet on the Swap Now button on the high of your Verizon Message+ app to shortly entry the Google Messages app listing on the Google Play Retailer.

For those who’re utilizing an iPhone, you will not must comply with these steps — merely discontinue utilization of Message+ and start texting through Apple’s personal Messages app.

Associated

Apple takes Messages to the next level with scheduled send and more fun features

It is not AI-centric, however these new iOS 18 iMessage options boast extra environment friendly, personality-filled communication.

Going ahead, Google Messages will now be preloaded on all Verizon Android units, based on the corporate. Apple’s iPhones already come preinstalled with a first-party Messages app, however this hasn’t historically been the case for Verizon-based Android handsets.

Another housekeeping ideas: as soon as the Message+ servers shut down on November 7, you will not be capable of ship or obtain any textual content messages utilizing the Verizon app. Any messages you could have scheduled to routinely ship on or after this date may also not be despatched, based on the corporate.

If in case you have an Android cellphone and would favor to check out a texting app that is not Google Messages, then there are a variety of choices accessible to select from on the Play Retailer. Some in style examples embrace:

Associated

RCS support finally rolling out to beta users in iOS 18

The newest beta permits iPhone customers to ship and obtain RCS messages from Android telephones.

RCS is the longer term, and it has been a very long time coming

The RCS texting normal is superior to SMS in each method conceivable

The RCS texting normal has actually been around for a very long time, however solely in recent times has it begun to achieve any actual traction. After Google’s quite a few botched makes an attempt at creating an Apple iMessage competitor, the search large ultimately determined to rally round RCS know-how to enhance the Android messaging expertise.

Google’s explicit taste of RCS allows many quality-of-life texting enhancements over conventional SMS texting, most of which you are most likely already accustomed to from iMessage, WhatsApp, and different internet-based chat companies. A few of these options embrace:

• Learn receipts
• Typing indicators
• Excessive-quality picture and video sending capabilities
• Improved group chat help
• Emoji tapbacks/reactions
• Stickers
• The power to ship messages over Wi-Fi or mobile information
• Finish-to-end encryption

Associated

Verizon switches to Google’s flavor of RCS. That’s a good thing, here’s why

Verizon is the final of the three main networks to ditch their proprietary RCS messaging resolution and use Google’s. Here is what the transfer means.

With the current launch of iOS 18, Apple has begrudgingly enabled RCS help for the iPhone, in an try to fight the mounting antitrust pressures confronted by the corporate.

Verizon, for its half, first began to embrace Google’s implementation of RCS earlier this yr. This growth got here after a notoriously unsuccessful attempt inside the American telecommunications scene to unify US cellphone carriers beneath their very own RCS-based normal.

Within the years to come back, RCS-based messaging is anticipated to overhaul and ultimately totally supplant the antiquated SMS and MMS requirements. Most Android OEMs are actually embracing Google Messages, including the juggernaut that is Samsung. The iPhone’s roping in of RCS help is anticipated to speed up this means of adoption, as nicely.

Associated

7 features RCS should steal from Apple iMessage

RCS is coming to iPhone, but it surely’s lacking a few of iMessage’s finest options.