Skinned Google Messages

[KPMcClave]

Last week on my Note 20 Ultra I had all the new cha features (iPhone emoji reactions, blue bubbles for chats with other Android RCS users and the bouncing dots when someone was typing a response). Now with the S22 Ultra, all that is gone with this Samsungized version of Messages. Is there any workaround here? I'm on beta as well. Is there a way to disable this Samsungized Google Messages app and manually install the APK of the stock Google version?

Nobody has found a way to do that. Because the Sasmung version is a pre-installed system file, it can't be uninstalled, and someone who disabled with a package disabler app was still unable to install another version of Messages.

It seems that the iPhone emoji reactions feature was removed from the open beta after being available briefly.

 

[tjubb]

Thanks, that was the clarification I was looking for. I guess we'll just have to wait for those RCS features to come back. It was nice to "chat" with fellow Android RCS users at the very least but not now.

 

[53fireman]

Yes, you can download and install the beta. I've been doing it since researching this exact thing the day I got the phone and couldn't figure out exactly what was going on.
Find the correct download and store it on your phone.
Go to play store and find messages. Unclick the auto update for it. Then hit uninstall or remove updates. Long press messages and clear cache.
Install beta APK.

 

[holz75]

Yes, you can download and install the beta. I've been doing it since researching this exact thing the day I got the phone and couldn't figure out exactly what was going on.
Find the correct download and store it on your phone.
Go to play store and find messages. Unclick the auto update for it. Then hit uninstall or remove updates. Long press messages and clear cache.
Install beta APK.

Wait a minute... And this gives you the non-Samsung version of Messages?

 

[53fireman]

Yes.

 

[KPMcClave]

Yes, you can download and install the beta. I've been doing it since researching this exact thing the day I got the phone and couldn't figure out exactly what was going on.
Find the correct download and store it on your phone.
Go to play store and find messages. Unclick the auto update for it. Then hit uninstall or remove updates. Long press messages and clear cache.
Install beta APK.

You're able to do this with an open beta apk on an S22 phone?

 

[53fireman]

Yes, for a couple weeks now. Read how to do it online somewhere during my digging after getting the phone.
Posted a screenshot of mine, but it hasn't posted yet.

The stupid half blank screen is gone, RCS seems to work, and iphone emojis work. I did like the Samsung skinned colors, but not worth the rest of the **** that didn't work.

 

[holz75]

Yes, for a couple weeks now. Read how to do it online somewhere during my digging after getting the phone.
Posted a screenshot of mine, but it hasn't posted yet.

The stupid half blank screen is gone, RCS seems to work, and iphone emojis work. I did like the Samsung skinned colors, but not worth the rest of the **** that didn't work.

Whoa! Ok. So find the non-Samsung version of the beta, and download. Go to the Play Store, uninstall updates, go back to Messages app and clear cache, then install the other beta. Are you still able to get updates to that non-Samsung beta through the store?

 

[53fireman]

No, you'd have to manually find it every so often.

 

[KPMcClave]

Wait a minute... And this gives you the non-Samsung version of Messages?

Answering my own prior question, yes. I just did as 53fireman described and have the open beta now installed. Rolling back and installing the non-Samsung version screwed up my individual contact notification sounds, but I'm reassigning those now.

 

[KPMcClave]

Yes, for a couple weeks now. Read how to do it online somewhere during my digging after getting the phone.
Posted a screenshot of mine, but it hasn't posted yet.

The stupid half blank screen is gone, RCS seems to work, and iphone emojis work. I did like the Samsung skinned colors, but not worth the rest of the **** that didn't work.

Thanks for this info!

 

[KupKrazy]

Yes, you can download and install the beta. I've been doing it since researching this exact thing the day I got the phone and couldn't figure out exactly what was going on.
Find the correct download and store it on your phone.
Go to play store and find messages. Unclick the auto update for it. Then hit uninstall or remove updates. Long press messages and clear cache.
Install beta APK.

Wow, thanks - indeed this worked. However, funny thing the exact same beta version on my N20U and S22U, but on my N20U, I have message organization, but not on my S22U. Also, I'm unable to sign into my Google account on the Messages app. I think ATT branded phones are doing this since of course, it kept my RCS linked to ATT RCS which makes RCS useless.

I do like that I have no more obnoxious empty half screen. lol I think I may stick with it for a while.

 

[mustang7757]

Just so some of you know on the Samsung/Google message app when u open with top being all that space , you can swipe up a little and it goes away

 

[tscanlon]

Is there any sort of expected timeline for this to move out of beta. Is this weeks, months or years?

 

[holz75]

Is there any sort of expected timeline for this to move out of beta. Is this weeks, months or years?

You can always use the regular version of Messages. The beta is just for testing out new changes and updates that may or may not be implemented to the full version.

 

[KupKrazy]

Just so some of you know on the Samsung/Google message app when u open with top being all that space , you can swipe up a little and it goes away

Yeah I realized that after switching back when I realized that that was the only difference that I could tell between the open beta and the OneUI version. Otherwise it was identical to me. :-/

 

[mustang7757]

Yeah I realized that after switching back when I realized that that was the only difference that I could tell between the open beta and the OneUI version. Otherwise it was identical to me. :-/

Yeah pretty much

 

[mustang7757]

Yeah I realized that after switching back when I realized that that was the only difference that I could tell between the open beta and the OneUI version. Otherwise it was identical to me. :-/

Oh wait and bixby feature

 

[tjubb]

THANK YOU! Exactly the workaround I was hoping to find. Confirmed to be working on my S22. Will just need to manually update from now on.

 

[Will_T]

Yes, you can download and install the beta.... Find the correct download and store it on your phone.
Go to play store and find messages. Unclick the auto update for it. Then hit uninstall or remove updates. Long press messages and clear cache.
Install beta APK.

Whoa! Ok. So find the non-Samsung version of the beta, and download. Go to the Play Store, uninstall updates, go back to Messages app and clear cache, then install the other beta.

I am unsure, but I think I found the correct beta version to download. Is it OK for someone to post a link here to be sure? Or a specific description? The one I found sounds right but is dated November 2021 which seems wrong.

Also I am not sure how to install a file like that. I have only ever downloaded apps from the stores.