How Samsung Unexpectedly Killed Two Popular Galaxy AR Features

Samsung is quietly cleaning house on its custom software suite. The tech giant has confirmed it will officially retire two of its long-standing augmented reality (AR) applications: Quick Measure and AR Doodle.

According to official notices spotted on the Galaxy Store, both applications are scheduled to terminate on December 31, 2026.

Which Apps Are Affected?

For Galaxy users who utilize their cameras for more than just standard photos, these two tools offered unique creative and practical utilities:

• Quick Measure: An AR tool that allowed users to calculate real-world distances, object dimensions, and heights using the phone's camera sensors.
• AR Doodle: A creative app that let users draw 3D illustrations in real-world spaces, with the drawings staying locked in place as the camera moved.

Samsung has already begun prepping for the transition. The company has hidden both app listings from search results on devices running the latest versions of One UI.

What the Shutdown Means for Users

If you currently rely on either of these features, here is what you need to know about the transition timeline:

• No New Downloads: After the December 31, 2026 deadline, neither app can be downloaded from the Galaxy Store.
• No Support or Updates: Samsung will stop providing security patches, bug fixes, or compatibility updates.
• Future OS Incompatibility: While the apps will continue to run initially if they are already installed on your device, Samsung warns that future One UI or Android system updates will eventually break their functionality entirely.

In its official termination notice, Samsung apologized for the inconvenience, stating: "You may continue to use the app if it is already downloaded, but please be aware that some features may not function properly."

What Lies Ahead for Samsung AR?

While it is disappointing to see these native features go away, this does not mean Samsung is abandoning mobile augmented reality entirely.

In the retirement announcement, the company noted that both experiences are expected to return "with improved services in the future."

However, Samsung has not yet detailed what these replacement services will look like, or whether they will be integrated directly into the native Galaxy camera app rather than existing as standalone downloads.