Mobile

Samsung Announces Closure of Popular App Used by Millions

bekir June 15, 2026 3 min read 23 views

Samsung today declared the discontinuation of its Samsung Max VPN, a service that has served over 50 million users, with the shutdown taking effect immediately.

Analysis: Samsung’s move to retire Samsung Max signals a broader industry trend of consolidating network services and reallocating resources toward more integrated security and AI‑driven offerings. The decision is likely to push users toward alternative VPN providers and may prompt Samsung to invest further in its own 5G and privacy‑enhancing technologies.

Launched on February 23, 2018, Samsung Max originated from Opera Max—a once‑popular data‑saving VPN that Opera retired the year before. Samsung acquired the service, rebranded it, and integrated a native Samsung UI to align with the Galaxy ecosystem.

The application offered a suite of data‑savings tools—compressing images, controlling background data per app, cutting video and music file sizes, optimizing web pages, blocking ad trackers in incognito mode, and encrypting traffic on public Wi‑Fi.

Samsung’s latest move to discontinue Max VPN marks the tech giant’s continued streamlining of its app ecosystem, following the recent announcement to shut down Samsung Messages. The company has set a deadline for users to transition to Google Messages by the end of next month, a change that will affect millions of customers worldwide.

Only older Android devices running version 11 or earlier will remain unaffected by the shutdown, ensuring a smoother transition for legacy hardware users.

Google Messages offers a suite of enticing features designed to attract Samsung’s user base, including AI-driven scam detection that blocks suspicious links, integrated Gemini AI tools for instant reply generation, customizable chat bubbles, and universal RCS compatibility that enables high‑quality media sharing with iOS contacts.

Beyond messaging, the platform boasts seamless synchronization across tablets and smartwatches, while also providing advanced capabilities such as message scheduling, intelligent classification, and automated category sorting.

❓ Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Why is Samsung shutting down Samsung Max VPN?

Samsung is discontinuing Samsung Max VPN as part of a broader strategy to streamline its app ecosystem and reallocate resources toward integrated security and AI‑driven offerings. The move reflects industry trends of consolidating network services and focusing on more advanced privacy technologies.

How will users transition to alternative VPN services?

Users are encouraged to switch to other VPN providers or use Samsung’s upcoming security solutions. Samsung may provide guidance and migration tools, and users can also explore built‑in VPN options on newer Android devices or third‑party apps that offer similar data‑saving and encryption features.

Will older Android devices be affected by the shutdown?

No, devices running Android 11 or earlier will not be impacted by the shutdown, ensuring a smoother transition for legacy hardware while newer devices will need to adopt alternative solutions.

News Source: Neowin

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