Okay, let’s rewind a bit. You’ve heard of system updates and security updates, but there is a third type of monthly update, coming directly from Google to phones running Android 10 or later. Those are Google Play System and Security updates, and your phone should be getting them even if it doesn’t have any firmware or security updates to look forward to.
This has to do with a major revamp that came with Android 10, which basically turned Google Play into more than just your local app market. It offers protection from malicious intent, especially such coming from any suspicious apps that might’ve found their way into Google Play’s catalog, and through it — onto your device.
So, what does this have to do with Samsung? Well, basically, users have started several threads on support forums and Reddit, as their phones have mysteriously stopped getting these essential updates, as reported by Android Police.
How to check your Google Play security update version?
- Open Settings
- Navigate to the Security & Privacy section
- Expand the Updates section
- Compare both Google Play update versions to the latest ones
Currently, both versions of these updates are as such:
- Google Play System update version — latest from November 1, 2022
- Google Play Security update version — latest from December 5, 2022
However, there are also reports that even this doesn’t fix the issue, as even after the reboot, the versions remain the same. As such, make sure to check again after your phone restarts. But what should you do if nothing has changed?
Well, as of now, we haven’t gotten a definitive solution from either Google or Samsung. Considering that this issue is impacting its most prominent flagships and some of their budget devices, such as the Galaxy A52, we can expect some sort of fix soon, possibly with the January firmware update, which has started rolling out earlier this month with the Note 10.
