Verizon is shutting down its Verizon Messages—also known as Messages+—in December, giving users an additional month to transition to Google Messages.

Messages+ is a text messaging app Verizon provides to its customers, giving them the ability to sync messages across devices, much like iMessage or WhatsApp. With the advent of RCS, however, Messages+ has largely become redundant. As a result, Verizon announced in September that it would shut down the app in November.

Verizon announced it is extending the shutdown deadline, likely because the original deadline was too short and surprised many users. The company has set December 9 as the new deadline.

The company made the announcement in a support article:

Important: Verizon will start to shut down the Message+ app on 10/2/24. The app will be fully discontinued on 12/9/24.

Verizon will start to shut down the Message+ app on 10/2/24. The app will be fully discontinued on 12/9/24.

When the Message+ app is shut down:

• You won’t be able to use the Message+ app to send and receive messages.
• Any Message+ messages you previously scheduled to be sent on or after 12/9/24 will not be sent.
• You won’t be able to view the Message+ app in the Apple app® store or Google Play™ Store.

During the shutdown, users who are part of group texts will likely see a strange code, indicating they are no longer part of the group.

Good to know: During system maintenance before Message+ shuts down, your group texts may see messages with a 588 area code which means that your number has “left the group”. This doesn’t need any action on your part. You can delete or ignore these network notification texts.

Verizon recommends that Android users switch to Google Messages, while Apple users should continue using Apple Messages.