Samsung is officially shutting down its Samsung News app, bringing an end to the news service available on Galaxy smartphones and tablets. According to a discontinuation notice appearing on devices in India and South Korea, the service will stop operating on December 21, 2026, at 00:00 UTC. The shutdown will affect the standalone application, its home-screen widget and the dedicated news feed accessible from the leftmost home-screen panel.
The decision marks another change to Samsung’s built-in content services. Launched in April 2023 as a replacement for Samsung Free, Samsung News provided personalized headlines, sports scores, financial updates and other information directly on Galaxy devices.
When Will Samsung News Shut Down?
Samsung News will officially discontinue service on December 21, 2026. Users in India and South Korea have already started receiving notifications informing them about the upcoming closure.
The notice confirms that the service will no longer deliver news content after the specified date. Samsung has also advised users to remove the Samsung News widget from their home screens because it will stop receiving updates.
Although the announcement has been confirmed in these two markets, Samsung has not yet provided a complete shutdown schedule for other regions.
What Happens to Samsung News After the Shutdown?
The closure will affect several features that Galaxy users have relied on for quick access to information.
Samsung News currently offers personalized news recommendations, trending stories, sports updates and financial information. Users can access this content through the standalone application, widgets and the dedicated media panel.
Once the service ends, these features will no longer receive fresh content. The leftmost home-screen panel may also change, depending on the device and software configuration.
Samsung has not announced a direct replacement for Samsung News. However, Google Discover remains an available alternative on supported Galaxy smartphones and tablets.
Will Samsung Delete User Data?
Samsung has confirmed that personal information collected through Samsung News will be deleted following the service’s discontinuation.
This includes user profiles, personalization preferences and other information associated with the platform.
However, certain records may be retained temporarily when required by applicable laws and regulations. Such information will be removed after the legally required retention period expires.
Users who want to preserve their preferred news topics and sources may wish to record those preferences before switching to another service.
Why Is Samsung Discontinuing Its News App?
Samsung has not publicly explained the specific reason behind its decision to discontinue Samsung News.
However, the company has repeatedly changed its news and content discovery services over the years.
The original Bixby Home feed arrived in 2017, followed by Samsung Daily in 2019 and Samsung Free in 2020. Samsung News eventually replaced Samsung Free in April 2023.
The upcoming closure ends another chapter in the company’s efforts to provide integrated news discovery features within its Galaxy software ecosystem.
What Can Galaxy Users Use Instead?
Galaxy smartphone and tablet owners can continue accessing news through alternative applications, including Google Discover and Google News.
Google Discover is already integrated into supported Galaxy devices and provides personalized articles based on user interests and activity.
Users can switch to Google Discover through their home-screen settings where the feature is available. They can also install dedicated news applications for more control over preferred publications and topics.
For Galaxy owners who regularly use Samsung News, the December shutdown means finding another way to access personalized headlines. Samsung has not confirmed whether a new proprietary news service will replace the discontinued application.