Samsung’s News App to Shutdown by 2026
Samsung has made the decision to discontinue its News app, a feature that has quietly faded into the background for many users. Announced by the company and reported by SamMobile, the app will cease operations on December 21, 2026, at 00:00 UTC, leaving Galaxy smartphone and tablet users without one of the familiar platforms for accessing daily news updates.
Impact on Widgets and Media Pages
The discontinuation of the news app will also affect associated components. Users will no longer receive updates on the app’s home screen widget, and the media page accessible by swiping right from the home screen will also be removed.
Notifications and User Data
Samsung has begun alerting users in India and South Korea about the impending shutdown, advising them to remove the widget to prepare for the service’s discontinuation. Furthermore, all user data linked to the service, including personal information and account profiles, will be deleted post-shutdown. Some data may be retained temporarily due to local laws but will eventually be purged.
A History of Discontinued Services
Samsung’s News app is not entirely new; it launched in April 2023 as a successor to Samsung Free, continuing a pattern of discontinued news-feed services. Samsung Free replaced Samsung Daily in 2020, and prior to that, Bixby Home took the place of Samsung Daily in 2019. This marks a notable series of rebrandings leading to another closure.
What’s Next for Samsung Users?
While Samsung has not announced a direct successor to the News app, Google Discover is a plausible option given its availability on Galaxy devices. This could streamline Samsung’s software experience by offering users an alternative for news consumption.
Attention to Global Users
Though the current shutdown announcements are specific to India and South Korea, users in other regions should remain vigilant for similar notifications. It appears that Samsung’s native news service is nearing its final chapter.
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