Android device users will no longer be able to send SMS text messages within the Messenger app starting from the late September update.
Meta (the parent company of Facebook) has begun notifying Messenger service users about discontinuing support for SMS text message format starting from September. If users are utilizing Messenger’s integrated SMS feature, they must switch to a different software or revert to using the default messaging app on their phones.
Messenger integrates sending and receiving SMS on Android since 2016
In the notification sent out, Meta stated, “Users will no longer be able to use Messenger on Android devices to send and receive SMS text messages through mobile carriers after updating the app from September 28, 2023.”
Many individuals accustomed to sending SMS directly through Messenger have reported receiving this notice, though Meta has not provided any explanation for the change. One possibility suggested is that Google may have determined that Meta’s Messenger is no longer suitable for SMS support. However, the company has not issued any official statement regarding the incident or offered a replacement solution.
Despite Messenger no longer supporting SMS, users can still send and receive messages normally through the messaging app on Android, as before. This change does not affect communication activities. To make the transition ahead of time, users can go to Settings on their phones > Apps > Default messaging app > Choose a different app.
Messenger initially introduced the integrated send and receive SMS feature as a replacement for the default Messages app in 2012 but removed it the following year. In 2016, the company reintegrated the feature into its OTT messaging app, using a purple theme to distinguish it from the default blue color on Messenger.
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Source: Vietnam Insider