Try to convince the average user to install a new app, and make it the default sms app. He will neither want nor understand the trouble of learning a new app for something that works just fine. And honestly, I don't blame them because that is not something they should have to worry about.
Android should rather work on a feature that allows them to patch their not-so-open operating system just like Apple does (or use a concept that is close to the one in the GNU/Linux world but I don't think Google is gonna do that).
This is true, but in the case of Messenger, you should consider the following:
- It's made by Google (i.e. the guys who made the phone's stock SMS app)
- It has nearly identical navigation to the stock "Messages" app, simply with a much cleaner interface
- It does not hook into anything other than your contacts, unlike Hangouts
For all intents and purposes it's the successor to the stock app, made a separate app specifically so that it can receive timely updates without being tied to a system update.
Having used both, there's really no compelling reason not to switch to it (sans the grandma-with-a-smartphone edge case who has never opened the Play Store).
Android should rather work on a feature that allows them to patch their not-so-open operating system just like Apple does (or use a concept that is close to the one in the GNU/Linux world but I don't think Google is gonna do that).