Not Getting Android OS Updates? Here’s How Google Is Updating Your Device Anyway

Android updates are a still a point of contention among die-hard fans, because most manufacturers don’t keep updated with the latest offerings from Google. But just because your phone isn’t getting full OS updates doesn’t mean it’s totally out of date.

While some major features still require full version updates, Google has a system in place that keeps many handsets at least somewhat relevant with Google Play Services. The company can squash certain bugs and even introduce new features just by updating Play Services.

Similarly, many of the system apps that were once bundled as part of the operating system are now available in the Play Store, which means they’re maintained and updated this way—just like all the apps you download manually. These two things mean you get more up-to-date phones, even if they7;ve stopped getting full version updates from the manufacturer.

Google Play Services Updates

Google is updating Android without actually updating the Android operating system. When a manufacturer wants to release an Android device, they have to negotiate an agreement with Google to get the Google Play Store and Google apps on their devices. As part of this agreement, Google reserves the right to update the Google Play Services component of Android on their own. This component automatically updates in the background on your Android device through the Play Store, just like any app you7;d install normally.