What you need to know
- The July Google Play System update brings new features to several Android services.
- With the latest updates, Android TV and Android WebView have improved security, privacy, and bug fixes.
- Cross devices also gain improvements like the ability to join your phone’s hotspot with your Google account-connected devices.
The July Google System updates have brought some significant new features to several Android devices, including the latest Play services, which were rolled out to devices early this month. However, as the search giant keeps updating over the month, here are some new changes in the recent Google System Release notes.
With the latest system update, Google has brought new security and privacy enhancements, including logging improvements to Android TV Core services with version 6.8.2. This has also been carried out on Android WebView. Bearing the v127 version, it added new developer features for Google and other third-party app developers.
They have the support functionality to showcase web content in their apps. However, as Google noted in the changelog, some features are experimental and only available to certain users.
Google Play Services and the Google Play Store also saw some enhancements last week. The former, with a version of v24.28, comprised cross-device services, where users are allowed to connect to their Android phone’s hotspot from their tablet or any other Google account-connected device—eliminating the need to set them up again manually. As for the Play Store (v41.9), users can see more updates about the game directly from the developer for select game titles.
While these were the latest additions to Google System updates added last week, previous updates from early this month included bug fixes in account management-related services for Google Play services.
On the other hand, Play Store has allowed users to choose apps they like to improve their recommendations further. Regarding device connectivity, Google Play services have also added new developer features. Another security feature of Find My Device is that users can unlock their devices remotely with their respective phone numbers.
Additionally, users can control Google Play Services straight from the settings on their smartphone. Finally, as part of the Google Play Store upgrade made available earlier this month, users can submit their new apps for a thorough threat analysis through Google Play Protect.