Software updates to the app and operating system ofour favorite Android devicesplay a much bigger role than just fixing bugs and adding new features — they keep your device safe from known vulnerabilities identified by security researchers, app developers, and beta testers. Google stepped up security by converting many Android components intoMainline modulesupdated through the Google Play system, so they don’t have to wait for the next Android release. Now, the company is working on collating all pending updates for your device in one place, so staying on top of changes is quick and easy.
For the longest time, Android updates have lived underSettings→System→System updates, while app updates are available through the Play Store, and Play system updates live under theSecurity & privacymenu. This seems logical, because app updates are more frequent than those for the Android system, and you could also install them silently in the background without a reboot. However, Android has combined all your security options like device unlock and device finders in theSecurity & privacydashboard of the Settings app. Apex Android geekMishaal Rahman spottedGoogle doing something similar, collating all the pending updates on one page of the settings app onAndroid 14QPR1 Beta 1. However, the UI was unfinished at that time, and seems limited to Pixel phones running stock Android.
Nail Sadykov of theGoogle News channelon Telegram recently spotted the same UI, now fully developed and functional, on theQPR1 Beta 2 build. First, Google has renamed the page for Android updates from System updates to Software updates. The page is still accessible underSettings→System→Software updates, but it also has dedicated sections for Google Play system updates and app updates. This UI is merely a dashboard, like the security dashboard, and the options listed are shortcuts which show you the pending updates and redirect you to the correct page to install them. For instance, tapping a pending app update will open the Play Store’sManage apps & devicemenu.
This new dashboard of sorts is a great way to ensure your phone stays on top of the latest updates. Placing app updates in the same location as system updates could prove useful because several system apps for Pixel phones are updated through the Play Store, and not through OS updates. Android 14 also uses 37 Mainline modules for critical system functions, and they also receive fixes and changes through Google’s Play system. This change could make it much easier to avoid security risks, while benefiting from the latest Android and in-app developments. It should roll out with the next major stable channel update for Android 14.
