Two days of September, and two updates already
Earlier this year, Google started publicizing all the changes it regularly delivered via Google Play system updates. We saw the first September update make an appearance yesterday, with enhancements to Google Kids Space, account syncing, and account recovery. These releases aren’t strictly once-a-month, though, and it turns out we did not have to wait very long at all for the next one this time. The latest Google Play system updates are now looking to enhance the way Android works with Wear OS, fixing some problems and introducing several small refinements.
Google Play system updates add features and quality-of-life changes to Android devices without the need to distribute a full-blown Android update. That makes them a handy way to roll out immediate changes which cannot wait until the next major Android release.
The revised changelog includes a host of smartwatch-related improvements, like it getting easier to find recommended apps in the Play Store for Wear OS. We’re also seeing new behavior where if you install an app on your wearable which requires a companion smartphone app, the latter will be automatically downloaded and installed for you.
A new, secondary menu in the Play Store on your phone will also highlight Wear OS apps you might be interested in, and Google mentions some additional tweaks to enhance discoverability across all apps. The rest of this update sounds pretty standard, with improvements to Play Protect and behind-the-scenes optimizations for speed and stability on the Play Store.
You can get check for the latest Google Play system update by heading to the Settings app on your Android device, tapping Security, and then selecting Google Play system update. Keep in mind that these updates roll out in a phased manner, so they may not show up on your device immediately.
