Messaging apps have become an essential part of our daily lives. They allow us to keep in touch with our friends and family, no matter where they are in the world. With so many messaging apps available, it can be challenging to decide which one to use. Two popular messaging apps are Google Messages and Samsung Messages. In this post, we’ll compare the two and help you decide which one is the best for you.

Interface in Google Messages and Samsung Messages

Google Messages and Samsung Messages both have different interfaces, although they share some similarities. Here are some of the key differences:

Google Messages:

• The interface of Google Messages is clean and simple, with a white background and blue accents.
• The main screen displays a list of conversations in chronological order, with the most recent at the top.
• Tapping on a conversation opens the chat window, which displays messages in a conversational thread. You can send a message by typing in the text box at the bottom of the screen.
• The app has a floating action button (FAB) at the bottom right corner of the screen, which allows you to compose a new message or start a new chat.
• There is a search bar at the top of the screen, which you can use to search for specific conversations or messages.
• The app supports RCS messaging, which is a new protocol that enables advanced messaging features like read receipts, typing indicators, and high-resolution media sharing.

Samsung Messages:

• The interface of Samsung Messages is also clean and simple, with a white background and blue and green accents.
• The main screen displays a list of conversations in chronological order, with the most recent at the top.
• Tapping on a conversation opens the chat window, which displays messages in a conversational thread. You can send a message by typing in the text box at the bottom of the screen.
• The app has a bottom navigation bar with four tabs: conversations, contacts, settings, and a plus button for composing a new message or starting a new chat.
• There is a search bar at the top of the screen, which you can use to search for specific conversations or messages.
• The app supports RCS messaging, as well as features like Smart Reply, which suggests pre-written responses to messages based on their content.

In general, both apps have intuitive interfaces that make them easy to navigate and use. However, Samsung Messages offers more customization options, with its bottom navigation bar and the ability to change themes and font size. Meanwhile, Google Messages has a more streamlined interface, with its FAB for composing messages and powerful search features. Ultimately, the choice between the two will come down to personal preference and which features are most important to the user.

Also Read: How to Enable or Disable Autostart for Android Apps

Dark theme in Google Messages and Samsung Messages

Both Google Messages and Samsung Messages support a dark theme, which is a popular feature among users who prefer a more subdued color palette and reduced eye strain. Here’s how each app handles the dark theme:

Google Messages:

• To enable the dark theme in Google Messages, you need to go to the app’s settings by tapping on the three-dot menu in the top right corner of the main screen, then select “Settings,” and finally “General.”
• In the General settings, you will see an option called “Theme.” Tap on it to open the theme selection screen.
• Here, you can choose between the light theme, dark theme, or system default, which will follow the theme set by your phone’s operating system.
• Once you select the dark theme, the app’s background will switch to black, with white and blue accents.

Samsung Messages:

• To enable the dark theme in Samsung Messages, you need to go to the app’s settings by tapping on the three-dot menu in the top right corner of the main screen, then select “Settings,” and finally “Night mode.”
• In the Night mode settings, you will see an option called “Turn on as scheduled.” This will allow you to set a specific time for the app to switch to the dark theme automatically, based on your phone’s clock.
• Alternatively, you can select “Turn on now” to enable the dark theme immediately.
• Once you enable the dark theme, the app’s background will switch to black or dark gray, with white and blue or green accents.

In general, both apps offer a good dark theme implementation, with easy-to-access settings and pleasing color schemes. Google Messages allows you to choose between light, dark, or system default themes, while Samsung Messages offers the additional option of scheduling the dark theme to turn on automatically. Ultimately, the choice between the two will come down to personal preference and which implementation is more convenient for the user.

Unread messages in Google Messages and Samsung Messages

Google Messages and Samsung Messages handle unread messages differently. Here’s how each app manages unread messages:

Google Messages:

• When you receive a new message in Google Messages, the app will display a notification badge on the app icon, indicating the number of unread messages you have.
• Additionally, the app will display a notification in the notification shade, showing the sender and the contents of the message. You can tap on the notification to open the message thread and read the message.
• In the app itself, unread messages will be indicated by a bold font for the sender’s name in the conversation list. Once you open the conversation, the font will return to normal.

Samsung Messages:

• When you receive a new message in Samsung Messages, the app will display a notification badge on the app icon, indicating the number of unread messages you have.
• Additionally, the app will display a notification in the notification shade, showing the sender and the contents of the message. You can tap on the notification to open the message thread and read the message.
• In the app itself, unread messages will be indicated by a bold font for the sender’s name in the conversation list. Additionally, the conversation will be highlighted in blue to indicate that there are unread messages.
• If you want to mark a conversation as read without opening it, you can swipe left on the conversation and tap on the envelope icon that appears.

In general, both apps handle unread messages in a similar way, with notification badges, notifications, and bolded font in the conversation list. Samsung Messages offers the additional feature of highlighting conversations with unread messages in blue, which may be helpful for users who have a lot of conversations and want to quickly identify which ones have new messages. Ultimately, the choice between the two will come down to personal preference and which implementation is more convenient for the user.

Supported message options in Google Messages and Samsung Messages

This is one of the prominent rounds of Google Messages vs. Samsung Messages, as the more features you get, the better. The below image table shows all the possible.

Out of 15 features, Google Messages supports 12, and Samsung Messages offers 13, but two with the help of other Samsung apps.

Message Notifications on Google Messages and Samsung Messages

Notifications are an important aspect of messaging apps, as they allow users to stay informed about new messages and respond promptly. Here’s how Google Messages and Samsung Messages handle notifications:

Google Messages:

1. Notification channels: Google Messages allows you to customize notifications using different channels, so you can choose which types of notifications you receive and how they’re displayed.
2. Notification sounds: You can choose from a range of notification sounds to alert you when you receive a new message in Google Messages.
3. Smart notifications: Google Messages uses artificial intelligence to prioritize important messages and provide smart notifications, so you don’t miss anything crucial.
4. Snooze notifications: If you’re busy and don’t want to be interrupted by notifications, you can snooze them for a specific period of time.
5. Banners: Google Messages displays banners that show the sender and message contents when you receive a new message, allowing you to quickly preview the message without opening the app.

Samsung Messages:

1. Customizable notifications: Samsung Messages allows you to customize notifications using different sound and vibration patterns, so you can easily distinguish between different types of messages.
2. Notification badges: Samsung Messages displays notification badges on the app icon, indicating the number of unread messages you have.
3. Edge lighting: Samsung Messages uses edge lighting to illuminate the sides of your device when you receive a new message, making it easy to see even when your device is face down.
4. Quick reply: Samsung Messages allows you to reply to messages directly from the notification panel without opening the app, which is a convenient feature when you’re in a hurry.
5. Silent notifications: If you don’t want to be disturbed by notifications, you can set Samsung Messages to display silent notifications, which won’t make any sound or vibration.

Both Google Messages and Samsung Messages offer robust notification options, allowing users to customize how they receive and interact with new messages. The choice between the two ultimately depends on personal preference and which notification features are most important to you.

Searching for messages

This round goes to Google Messages because the moment you tap on that search bar, you see two rows: People and Categories.

Under the People row, you see the recent users you had conversations with. You can tap on any to search through that conversation.

The Categories row shows:

• Starred
• Images
• Videos
• Places
• Links

Touching on one shows messages containing that particular category. For example, tapping on links displays all the messages that contain links.

Samsung Messages also shows two rows on the search screen. The “Picture and videos” row shows media. The second row is “others,” showing data such as audio messages.

Spam detection

Google Messages is far ahead in the spam protection game. Messages I receive are sent to the spam folder. Samsung Messages sometimes misses and lets them sit in conversations.

Regarding technology, Google Messages uses its own service, whereas Samsung Messages takes the data from Hiya. A user can also report spam messages in the app.

Which Is the Best Messaging App?

The answer to this question depends on your personal preferences and needs. Both Google Messages and Samsung Messages are popular messaging apps that offer similar basic features, such as sending and receiving text messages, photos, and videos.

However, there are some differences between the two. Google Messages offers some advanced features such as RCS (Rich Communication Services) support which enables features like read receipts, typing indicators, and group messaging. Samsung Messages, on the other hand, offers some unique features such as the ability to schedule messages and send GIFs directly from the keyboard.

Ultimately, the choice between Google Messages and Samsung Messages comes down to what features and design you prefer. If you value RCS support and a clean, minimalist design, then Google Messages may be the better choice. However, if you prefer the ability to schedule messages and use GIFs directly from the keyboard, then Samsung Messages may be more suited to your needs.

FAQ

Here are some frequently asked questions about Google Messages and Samsung Messages:

1. Are Google Messages and Samsung Messages free to use?
   • Yes, both Google Messages and Samsung Messages are free messaging apps that come pre-installed on most Android devices.
2. Can I use Google Messages or Samsung Messages on non-Samsung devices?
   • Google Messages is compatible with all Android devices and can be downloaded from the Google Play Store. However, Samsung Messages is exclusive to Samsung devices and cannot be downloaded on non-Samsung devices.
3. Can I back up my messages in Google Messages and Samsung Messages?
   • Yes, both apps offer options to back up and restore your messages. Google Messages automatically backs up your messages to your Google account, while Samsung Messages offers a similar backup option to your Samsung account.
4. Can I send messages to people who don’t use the same messaging app as me?
   • Yes, both apps support standard messaging and multimedia messaging, which allows you to send messages to anyone with a phone number. However, if you want to use advanced messaging features such as chat features, both the sender and receiver must have compatible devices and messaging apps.
5. Can I use Google Assistant or Bixby to send messages in these apps?
   • Yes, both Google Messages and Samsung Messages integrate with their respective virtual assistants, allowing you to send messages and perform other tasks within the app.
6. Are there any privacy concerns with using these messaging apps?
   • Both apps are generally considered safe and secure to use, but it’s always a good idea to be mindful of your privacy and security when using any app. Be sure to read the app’s privacy policy and adjust your app settings as needed to protect your personal information.