Big March Android System Update Through Google Play & Google Play Services

[NewsKrawler]

https://www.droid-life.com/2022/03/01/google-system-update-march-improvements/
Google System Update for March Improves a Bunch of Stuff

A new month is here and so is yet another Google System update that includes
new goodies through Google Play and Google Play Services. The updates should
start rolling out as early as today too, so be on the lookout for changes.
[1] Available through Google Play system update for March.
[2] Available through Google Play services v22.09 updated on 03/01/2022.
[3] Available through Google Play Store v29.5 updated on 03/01/2022.

Google can be vague with the changelogs for these types of updates, but they
at least gave us a list of items to dive into. For example, in Google Play
Games, users should find new settings to "better manage their privacy."
Google is also fixing connectivity, developer services, safety and
emergency, and utilities bugs on almost all platforms, including Wear OS.

Specific to Google Play, we have improvements to play-as-you download for
those looking to get into a new game, new discovery features for apps and
games, optimizations for faster and more reliable downloads, "new features"
for Play Pass and Play Points, and various other fixes and optimizations.

And finally, Google says it has "improved the user experience and feature
education for NFC" enabled devices, plus they generally tried to improve
things like network usage, stability, security, and updatability.

Below is the full changelog.
March 2022

Critical Fixes
[Auto, Phone, Tablet, TV, Wear OS] Bug fixes for device connectivity,
developer services, safety & emergency, and utilities related services.
[1][2]

Games
[Phone, TV] With the update to the Play Games Services profile, users will
be able to better manage their privacy settings. [2]

Google Play Store
Improvements to Play-as-you-download feature to let gamers start playing
mobile games while the app download continues to reduce waiting times. [3]
New Features to help you discover the Apps & Games you love.[3]
Optimizations allowing faster and more reliable download and
installation.[3]
New features to the Play Pass and Play Points programs. [3]
Enhancements to Google Play Billing. [3]
Continuous improvements to Play Protect to keep your device safe. [3]
Various performance optimizations, bug fixes and improvements to security,
stability and accessibility. [3]

Wallet
[Phone] Improved user experience and feature education for NFC/HCE-enabled
devices. [2]

System Management
Updates to system management services that improve device connectivity,
network usage, stability, security and updatability. [1][2]

Developer Services
New developer features for Google and third party app developers to support
ads, accessibility, analytics & diagnostics and machine learning & AI, and
security & privacy related developer services in their apps. [2]

As a reminder, these updates are important because they are for everyone.
[1] Available through Google Play system update for March.
[2] Available through Google Play services v22.09 updated on 03/01/2022.
[3] Available through Google Play Store v29.5 updated on 03/01/2022.

This isn't just a Google Pixel update that comes out each month and is
instead a platform-level set of updates for all or most Android phones.
Google has issued this type of stuff for some time. However, they only
started providing changelogs within the past few months.

These new features and improvements will rollout as Google Play Services
v22.09 and Google Play Store v29.5 starting March 1. It will likely take a
while before everyone gets them.

[Andy Burns]

NewsKrawler wrote:

> A new month is here and so is yet another Google System update that includes
> new goodies through Google Play and Google Play Services. The updates should
> start rolling out as early as today too, so be on the lookout for changes.

A Play system update was available (only after I did a manual checks) on my
pixel3, it required a reboot.

> [1] Available through Google Play system update for March.

Under Settings/About/Android/PlaySystem, mine now shows a date of February 2022,
when previously it was January 2022, so it seems to be one month behind?

> [2] Available through Google Play services v22.09 updated on 03/01/2022.

Under App Info, mine still shows as 22.06, no date visible

> [3] Available through Google Play Store v29.5 updated on 03/01/2022.

Under App Info, mine still shows as 29.4, no date visible

So are older devices *really* getting the full set of updates that newer pixels
and other manufacturers are getting?

[Andy Burnelli]

Andy Burns wrote:

>> A new month is here and so is yet another Google System update that includes
>> new goodies through Google Play and Google Play Services. The updates should
>> start rolling out as early as today too, so be on the lookout for changes.
>
> A Play system update was available (only after I did a manual checks) on my
> pixel3, it required a reboot.

Hi Andy,

Thanks for letting us know Andy as I found the OP's article confusing, even
as you and I have discussed these three types of updates many times:
a. Android version
b. Security version
c. Play version

The OP's article mixed them up calling them [1][2][3] of something like
[1] Google Play system
[2] Google Play services
[3] Google Play Store

We must strive to get a handle on this as _that_ is what Google calls them!
A. Google Play System is probably what we've been talking about for a while
B. But what is "Google Play Services" then?
C. And why do we need "Google Play Store" for any of this?

I'm confused, and I probably know more than most people and I'm _still_
confused. Can you make any sense of this in light of the versions we've been
discussing for a while now?

>> [1] Available through Google Play system update for March.
>
> Under Settings/About/Android/PlaySystem, mine now shows a date of February 2022,
> when previously it was January 2022, so it seems to be one month behind?

Mine shows (before I update):
a. Google Play system update = June 1 2021
b. Android security patch level = November 1, 2021

But that's likely because it's a new phone that I turned off a lot of stuff.

Nonetheless, I noticed a "Feb 1, 2022" update is "ready to install" which I
hadn't realized was even there until I explicitly looked for it just now!

I pressed "install now" (although I had the option of rescheduling it.

The update almost instantly rebooted the phone and then I got an Android
icon with a bar showing the progress (which is quite different from a
"normal" reboot). It took about five minutes (also different from a normal
reboot).

After the reboot it said "Phone is updating..." and then "Optimizing app ###
of 535" one by one, which is also not normal in a typical reboot.

What the heck is it doing "optimizing" all my installed apps anyway?

Finally, it said "Software update" and "Update successful! Thank you for
choosing T-Mobile."
a. Android version = 11
b. Google Play system update = June 1, 2021
c. Android security patch level = February 1, 2022

>> [2] Available through Google Play services v22.09 updated on 03/01/2022.
>
> Under App Info, mine still shows as 22.06, no date visible

I wish they would put all these versions in the same spot.
I didn't think to check mine before the update, so mine is now:
Android11:Settings > Apps > Your apps > Google Play Services
Version 22.02.21 (150400-428111784)

>> [3] Available through Google Play Store v29.5 updated on 03/01/2022.
>
> Under App Info, mine still shows as 29.4, no date visible

I don't have the Google Play Store enabled on mine, but of course most
people would have that so they can tell you their before & after values.

I re-enabled mine and rebooted and it says:
Android11:Settings > Apps > Your apps > Google Play Store
Version 29.4.13-21 [0] [PR] 429618493

> So are older devices *really* getting the full set of updates that newer pixels
> and other manufacturers are getting?

Good question.
I have other Android phones which don't have SIM cards that I can check.

(Do the carriers update their old phones that are no longer on their
network? How?)

I think the OP's article claimed that essntially all Android devices are
getting the update, and I saw independently another article that claimed it
too (from another source) so it's my understanding almost all Android
devices are getting this update in some fashion.
*The March 2022 Google System Update is chock-full of changes*
<https://www.androidcentral.com/phones/the-march-2022-google-system-update-is-chock-full-of-changes>
"Google has released the March 2022 System Updates.
*These updates are available for all Android devices, not just Pixels*
The update will arrive through the Play Store and Play Services."
"The Google System Update for March 2022 is now rolling out to
*pretty much anyone who owns an Android device*. In this update,
there are quite a few different bug fixes, including one that
fixes "device connectivity". Additionally, the Play Games Services
profile has been updated, providing users with a way to

"better manage their privacy settings". "

I openly admit this is all very confusing to me when I'm trying to make
sense of what is being updated for all the older and newer phones.

What we need is others to tell us their before and after results I think.

[Andy Burns]

Andy Burnelli wrote:

> I noticed a "Feb 1, 2022" update is "ready to install" which I
> hadn't realized was even there until I explicitly looked for it just now!
>
> I pressed "install now" (although I had the option of rescheduling it.
>
> The update almost instantly rebooted the phone and then I got an Android
> icon with a bar showing the progress (which is quite different from a
> "normal" reboot).

Yes, that was the new type of update I described about a month ago

> It took about five minutes (also different from a normal
> reboot).
> After the reboot it said "Phone is updating..." and then "Optimizing app ###
> of 535" one by one, which is also not normal in a typical reboot.

For me that only takes a few seconds, due to the seamless partitions using A/B slots

> What the heck is it doing "optimizing" all my installed apps anyway?

odexing?

> I re-enabled mine and rebooted and it says:
> Android11:Settings > Apps > Your apps > Google Play Store
> Version 29.4.13-21 [0] [PR] 429618493

That looks familiar, not got the phone in front of me now.

[Andy Burnelli]

Andy Burns wrote:

> Yes, that was the new type of update I described about a month ago

Thanks for confirming as I suspect I was wrong about what versions matter.

a. Android version
b. Security version
c. Play version

It looks like the last item above is actually a complex triad, perhaps?
[1] Google Play System
[2] Google Play Services
[3] Google Play Store

Which I can collapse perhaps into "Google Play {System,Services,Store}"
given it's three (frustratingly confusing) versions which are related.

If that's correct, then I'll start to summarize that what matters is:
a. *Android version*
b. *Security version*
c. *Google Play {System,Services,Store} versions*

At the highest level, does _that_ triad above summarize what matters most?
If so, what we need is _others_ to report their recent update results.

*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/q7-iaUiwBgAJ>
--
Usenet is a team sport where, together, we pitch in to learn about Android.

[Andy Burnelli]

Andy Burnelli wrote:

> 4. Google Play Services version 22.02.21 (150400-428111784)

Given this confusingly named triad (Google Play {System,Services,Store}),
I "think" I just proved that the Google Play _Services_ version can be
updated manually (or automatically) via the Google Play Store app.

Even though I do not set Android to a Google account, I can't delete the
Google Play Store client app, which I think is key to the updates.

The Google Play Store client _can_ update apps even without an account.
But I have my Google Play Store client settings set to not autoupdate.
Hence, all Google Play Store run updates would be fully manual for me.

Knowing from this thread that there are updates, I'll see what happens now.
*Big March Android System Update Through Google Play & Google Play Services*
<https://groups.google.com/g/comp.mobile.android/c/fIAd_j1gC0w/m/oV1wA2V8BAAJ>
a. I opened up the default (unused) Google Play Store client app.
b. I pressed the Google Play Store Settings three-dots menu & then update.
c. Then I pressed the "Google Play Services" update (24MB) button.

Before:
1. Android version 11
2. Security patch update version February 1, 2022
3. Google Play System update June 1 2021
4. *Google Play Services version* 22.02.21 (150400-428111784)
5. Google Play Store version 29.4.13-21 [0] [PR] 429618493

After:
1. Android version 11
2. Security patch update version February 1, 2022
3. Google Play System version June 1 2021
4. *Google Play Services version* 22.06.15 (150400-428792003)
5. Google Play Store version 29.4.13-21 [0] [PR] 429618493

Given this confusingly named triad (Google Play {System,Services,Store}),
I "think" I just proved that the Google Play _Services_ version can be
updated manually (or automatically) via the Google Play Store app.
--
Usenet is for purposefully helpful kind-hearted people to teach each other.