Google now shares the list of changes made by push updates through the Play Store. The first update concerned was deployed in January 2022. The firm thus wants to be more transparent with regard to its Android update strategy. These updates are pushed automatically by Google, without going through the manufacturer.
If there’s one area where Apple is more responsive than Google, it’s management of updates to its installed base. It must be said that Apple controls the entire value chain: hardware, software, ecosystem. By eliminating any intermediary, in particular the operators, Apple can manage the updates alone. And by extension, the firm is considerably increasing the technical support for its phones.
Read also – Android 12: here is the list of smartphones that will have the update
On Android, the situation is different: to Google are added component manufacturers, smartphone manufacturers and operators. Not everyone has the same vision and the same budget for technical support. So the user does not really know if he will benefit from one or more updates, if his favorite applications will continue to work and if his personal data is protected.
However, Google does not deserve to bring faster and more regular updates. Several initiatives have been carried out by the Mountain View firm. One of the biggest is Project Treble, which was intended to speed up the deployment of updates by separating Android’s core and user interface elements. Android 8.0 was the first compatible version.
Google communicates the content of the updates distributed by the Play Store
Treble was followed by Mainline which prepared Android to accept system updates delivered directly from the Play Store, without the intervention of manufacturers or operators. Android 11 was the first to take advantage of Mainline, but it is especially with Android 12 that Mainline has become a reality. An undeniable asset for the end user who benefits from more regular updates. But this has so far lacked transparency. Indeed, no changelist was served by google with updates issued from the Play Store. It is not the case anymore.
The update of January 2022 was the first to include detailed information about the changes it brings. If your smartphone is running Android 11 or 12, it has certainly downloaded and automatically installed an APK archive titled “ Google Play system update “.
According to the information you can find on the Google support site (and in the image above), it fixes many bugs for Android on smartphones, tablets and connected objects, it strengthens Play Protect, the protection system to Android, and it brings new features to gamers. One of them is inspired by the Smart Delivery that you find on Xbox Series X and PlayStation 5: it allows you to start a game when the game has not been fully downloaded.
Source: 9to5Google