Google is reportedly considering removing the option to send messages via SMS and MMS in its Google Messages app, according to Android Authority. The latest beta version of the app suggests that the setting "Send only SMS and MMS" could be phased out in the future. If this change is implemented, users would no longer be able to choose SMS and MMS as a default for all messages. Instead, they would have to either disable RCS (Rich Communication Services) entirely or allow the app to automatically switch to SMS and MMS if an RCS message fails to send. This would encourage more widespread use of RCS, a messaging protocol that includes features like read receipts, group chats, and file sharing—similar to those offered by apps like Facebook Messenger or WhatsApp. Currently, Google Messages gives users the flexibility to choose, for each conversation, whether to use SMS/MMS or RCS. This was especially helpful when RCS had issues, such as during a major outage in August 2026. However, that option may soon be eliminated, leaving users with fewer choices in how they communicate. In France, the AF2M, a consumer electronics association, reported in September 2025 that 80% of smartphones in the country were compatible with RCS, covering around 48.3 million devices. By the fourth quarter of 2025, the number had risen to over 50 million devices, or 83% of the smartphone fleet, capable of using the protocol. However, these figures only reflect the number of devices that can support RCS, not how many users are actually using it for their conversations. Google has not officially confirmed this change, and Android Authority discovered the potential update in the app's code without a specific release date. It is worth noting that features found in beta versions of apps do not always make it into the final public release.