Samsung phones use the Google Messages app by default. Samsung also has its own Messages app, which can be downloaded from the Galaxy Store. Samsung has opted to use Google Messages to intensify the adoption of RCS.

Meanwhile, Google Messages is reportedly testing a potential branding shift, removing the iconic “G” logo and adopting a full Google identity. This change will make you admit that you’re using Google Messages on your Samsung phone.

In the One UI 6 version, Samsung removed “Samsung” and “Galaxy” from various app names in the name of simplifying apps. The names displayed with many One UI app icons have been simplified, making it easier for users to recognise apps at a glance.

Despite having its own Messages app, Samsung crushed it to favor Google. A portion of Galaxy users still prefer Samsung Messages over the default Google Messages, but it requires a manual download and install from the Galaxy Store.

With Google testing a new logo, the “G” logo that we’ve been seeing for years will be replaced by the full Google wordmark. It will join the “Messages” title, featuring its colorful design approach that has already landed on other Google apps.

Source – Android Authority

Google now also has a more colorful “G” logo, which should have been replaced by the current logo on Messages. However, Google’s intention to make people feel more it is Google’s turf, despite the brand of the phone they are holding.

The new identity is hidden behind codes in APK assets. Google Messages is still testing the shift, and the deployment will likely happen in the next update. It will bring the Messages app even closer to its siblings from Google’s umbrella.

Is Google doing it right, or was Samsung wrong with One UI 6?

Samsung continues to establish an effortless One UI 8 ecosystem before the update’s expansion begins. In the latest development, Samsung has updated 7 apps that offer access to hidden features with One UI 8 compatibility.

Among the 7 Samsung apps that are gaining One UI 8 support, one is EdgeTouch from Good Lock, while the other six are plugins of Good Guardians. Recently, Samsung updated the main Good Guardians with support for the new OS.

Good Lock is pretty famous among Galaxy users because of its powerful customization capabilities and experimental features from core Android. Good Guardians include 6 plugins that help you make the most out of your smartphone.

Here are the details:

Good Lock Apps

1. 1. EdgeTouch 1.3.16

Galaxy users use Good Lock’s Edge Touch to personalize the edge areas of their phone’s screen, preventing accidental touches and enabling gesture-based actions.

Good Guardians

1. 1. Battery Tracker 8.0.07
   2. Battery Guardian 8.0.07
   3. Memory Guardian 8.0.07
   4. Media File Guardian 8.0.09
   5. Galaxy App Booster 8.0.05
   6. Thermal Guardian 8.0.07

Samsung’s Battery Tracker and Battery Guardian plugins are related to core battery tools, such as showing optimized usage stats and tracking power-hungry apps and services.

Memory Guardian and Media File Guardian are related to your phone’s storage. These modules display storage occupied across apps, as well as cleaning memory by deleting useless hidden files.

Galaxy App Booster is built to transfer an app’s executable assets for performance improvement. Thermal Guardian ensures the device stays cool by letting you know of source of activities causing overheating.

With One UI 8 support, these apps are now ready to function seamlessly on the new OS. It will ensure the Galaxy users won’t miss out on any existing perks like crashing and lagging after the One UI 8 rollout begins for older models.

Good Lock is officially available worldwide as a single app, which consists of over a dozen plugins. Meanwhile, you may find it difficult to have Good Guardians, as this is a more experimental feature suite with limited availability.

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Samsung Wallet, also known as Samsung Pay, is one of the popular payment apps for Galaxy device users, mainly in South Korea. But in the US, Samsung Wallet is not doing so well.

Apple Pay is the top mobile wallet in the United States, and it’s far ahead of Samsung Wallet. While Samsung is strong in other countries, it’s finding it hard to grow in the United States. A new report shows just how big the gap is between the two.

According to the report, Samsung Wallet holds only 3% of the United States mobile payment market, while Apple Pay has over 50%. This makes Apple Pay the clear leader in its home country.

It’s not a surprise, as several US users use iPhones, and Apple Pay is built right into the phone. It’s also accepted in many stores, apps, and online services, which makes it easy to use.

While Samsung Wallet is behind in the United States, it is doing very well in South Korea, where it has 42% of the market. Other popular Korean payment apps like Kakao Pay and Naver Pay together make up 34%.

Globally, Samsung Wallet has a good presence. It holds 16% of the market in South Korea overall, 9% in the UAE, 6% in Brazil, and 4% in countries including Australia, Canada, France, and Spain.

Even though 3% may seem small, there’s still room for Samsung Wallet to grow. With better features, rewards, and support, Samsung could gain more users in the future. But for now, Apple Pay remains far ahead in the US market.

Samsung has released a new update for the theme designer Good Lock module – Theme Park app. This app helps users customize their phone’s look by creating their own themes by choosing wallpapers, colors, icons, and more.

Now, Samsung is making the Theme Park app better with version 1.1.01.23. This update comes with a slightly improved design. The UI of the app is now cleaner and more user-friendly.

The main highlight of this new update is the addition of new icon effects. These let you change the style of your app icons in new and fun ways. There are a total of five new icon effects – Basic, Film Grain, Duotone, Gradient, and Glass.

These new effect options let you give your phone a unique and creative look. After installing the latest version, you can easily access these new effects by opening Theme Park >> Icons >> Effects.

Aside from this, the update also fixes issues that users encountered in the previous version. This app should now work more smoothly without crashing or freezing.

To get the new update, just open the Galaxy Store on your Samsung phone. Search for Theme Park, then tap “Update” if you already have the app. If you don’t have it yet, you can download and install it from there for free. Also, you can download the update from the Good Lock app itself.

Samsung just added two Good Lock apps to One UI 8 territory but the big one still awaited

Google Account page contains core Android Settings that have started adopting Material 3 Expressive. Samsung users could soon encounter a Material 3 Expressive redesign while accessing the Google Account page within Android settings.

9to5Google reports that the Expressive design is gradually rolling out to users. It’s a server-side rollout, and you can try if it’s already dropping on your Samsung phone through Google App settings to manage your account.

Well, being on Google Play Services version 25.25.33 on Android 16 (One UI 8) and Android 16 QPR1 (Pixel phones) increases the chance of the redesign’s deployment.

Simply tap the “Manage your Google Account” option, and you might see a consolidated list that includes all options. The profile picture is displayed in large size, accompanied by your Account Name and email address on top.

The settings also include a drop-down key that lets you switch the account. Within the Google Account Settings, Material 3 Expressive design places menu items in a card that features rounded corners, a colorful icon, and a description.

Here are all the Settings in Manage your Google Account page:

• Personal info
• Security & sign-in, Password Manager, Your devices
• Data & privacy
• People & sharing, Family group
• Payments & subscriptions
• Google One storage

After these menus, the system has a “Looking for something else?” headline, which consists of three more options, including “Search Google Account,” “See help options,” and “Send feedback.”

Source – 9to5Google

Material 3 Expressive design is a part of Google’s efforts to modernize the Android experience. At the August 20 Made by Google event, we may witness a broader deployment strategy from the Android maker for services.

Since its introduction at I/O 2025, Google has been sequentially bringing the Expressive design to multiple apps and services. Google App is the latest to adopt the design overhaul, with more apps and functionalities already in line.