I had heard before about "Google Play system updates", but I didn't
realize that these updates aren't automatic, even on Google Pixel
phones.

https://lifehacker.com/tech/youre-missing-out-on-hidden-android-updates

Excerpt:

"I'll use Pixels as an example for how to find this page. If you're
using a Google Pixel phone, go to Settings > Security & privacy >
System & updates. You'll see two sections, Security update and Google
Play system update. Tap the latter option to download and install the
update. The update will be installed after your device reboots.

"On any other smartphone, search is going to be your friend. In the
Settings app, search for 'Play system update', which should help get
you where you need to go."

You might think you get all the updates in one go, but you would be
wrong. My phone showed the last Google Play system update was dated
February 5. After I updated, following the above directions, it
showed the latest one dated March 1. Out of curiosity, I tapped
Google Play system update, it checked for updates, and it found
another one.

After it installed that update and restarted, I checked again. But
the update dated March 1 seems to be the last one, at least for my
phone.

--
Stan Brown, Tehachapi, California, USA https://BrownMath.com/
Shikata ga nai...

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On Tue, 15 Apr 2025 10:16:39 -0700, Stan Brown wrote :

I had heard before about "Google Play system updates", but I didn't
realize that these updates aren't automatic, even on Google Pixel
phones.

That article by Khamosh Pathak is rather misleading, IMHO.

We've discussed this topic where we have to be careful there are a *lot* of things called "Google Play" that are updated, only one of which is
officially called "Google Play system update" (note the casing).

The old name for "Google Play system update" is "Project Mainline".
It happens monthly. Roughly. For all phones connected to the Internet.
We've discussed this many times, so this is just a quick summary.
It has nothing to do with whether it's a Pixel or Samsung or whatever.
If it has Android 10+, and it's connected to the net, it is updated.
Supposedly monthly. But not really monthly. Kind of sort of monthly.

Each location is on a different schedule.
Each device is on a different schedule.

It's haphazard unless you're Google.
Then you know what the schedule is.

If you can figure it out for your phone, let the rest of us know.

*There won't be a monthly Google Play System update for December 2023 for all Android 10+ phones*
<https://groups.google.com/g/comp.mobile.android/c/oYdhV2n1OlA/m/m6FNRY1YAAAJ>

*Android Project Mainline "Google Play system updates" security patches are built weekly & hotfix your Android 10+ device seamlessly every month, forever*
<https://groups.google.com/g/comp.mobile.android/c/YP999B6ZfIw/m/Wsd0RuyxAgAJ>

*How long does GOOGLE say they'll update the two dozen core modules in project mainline?*
<https://groups.google.com/g/comp.mobile.android/c/_ZUiLVtLbsg/m/7mOlRc2bBAAJ>

If you can figure the schedule out, let the rest of us know.

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