A new month is here and so is yet another Google System update that includes new goodies through Google Play and Google Play Services. The updates should start rolling out as early as today too, so be on the lookout for changes.
Google can be vague with the changelogs for these types of updates, but they at least gave us a list of items to dive into. For example, in Google Play Games, users should find new settings to “better manage their privacy.” Google is also fixing connectivity, developer services, safety and emergency, and utilities bugs on almost all platforms, including Wear OS.
Specific to Google Play, we have improvements to play-as-you download for those looking to get into a new game, new discovery features for apps and games, optimizations for faster and more reliable downloads, “new features” for Play Pass and Play Points, and various other fixes and optimizations.
And finally, Google says it has “improved the user experience and feature education for NFC” enabled devices, plus they generally tried to improve things like network usage, stability, security, and updatability. Below is the full changelog.
March 2022
Critical Fixes
- [Auto, Phone, Tablet, TV, Wear OS] Bug fixes for device connectivity, developer services, safety & emergency, and utilities related services. [1][2]
Games
- [Phone, TV] With the update to the Play Games Services profile, users will be able to better manage their privacy settings. [2]
Google Play Store
- Improvements to Play-as-you-download feature to let gamers start playing mobile games while the app download continues to reduce waiting times. [3]
- New Features to help you discover the Apps & Games you love.[3]
- Optimizations allowing faster and more reliable download and installation.[3]
- New features to the Play Pass and Play Points programs. [3]
- Enhancements to Google Play Billing. [3]
- Continuous improvements to Play Protect to keep your device safe. [3]
- Various performance optimizations, bug fixes and improvements to security, stability and accessibility. [3]
Wallet
- [Phone] Improved user experience and feature education for NFC/HCE-enabled devices. [2]
System Management
- Updates to system management services that improve device connectivity, network usage, stability, security and updatability. [1][2]
Developer Services
- New developer features for Google and third party app developers to support ads, accessibility, analytics & diagnostics and machine learning & AI, and security & privacy related developer services in their apps. [2]
[1] Available through Google Play system update for March.
[2] Available through Google Play services v22.09 updated on 03/01/2022.
[3] Available through Google Play Store v29.5 updated on 03/01/2022.
As a reminder, these updates are important because they are for everyone. This isn’t just a Google Pixel update that comes out each month and is instead a platform-level set of updates for all or most Android phones. Google has issued this type of stuff for some time. However, they only started providing changelogs within the past few months.
These new features and improvements will rollout as Google Play Services v22.09 and Google Play Store v29.5 starting March 1. It will likely take a while before everyone gets them.
I hope it fixes the problem where RCS gets disconnected a couple times a day.
What launcher is being used in the main photo?
Is there a fix for battery share because mine doesn’t work. I have a 6pro and it won’t charge my pixel buds.
Unless they changed, it’s usually the FIRST Monday, of the month. Since March 1 was on a Tuesday, I guess most will see
the update around March 7th?
My P6P from Google never even received the February system update
that doesn’t make sense. have you checked for an update?
Multiple times daily and it’s still says “Your device is up to date” with the Google Play system update: Jan 1,2022
And it pops up obnoxiously quickly. The second you touch Update Play Store it says “nope!”
still doesn’t make sense, lol. I’m not calling you a liar, I fully believe you, I just never ran into that.
are you on the 12L beta, by chance?
https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/9b40dca6251b871615cb0e7f0c6d1ef94660efe3999da19b2daa05229b867a7f.png
Nope not on 12L.
that’s wild
No kidding.
only things I can suggest: Load the update directly from your computer or reach out to google support. The march update should be out this monday, so maybe hold out until then and see what happens
I’m also on the January update.
Mine will occasionally tell me it needs to reboot after I run a Check, but after a reboot it still says january 1.
My Pixel 6 just updated itself to the Feb Play System today at 5:30pm MST.
I was hoping it was jumping from Jan to Mar.
Yup same here
I figured I had T-Mobile to thank for the delay.
Or you on Verizon? I’ve read that Verizon users seem to get updates slower.
Nope on T-Mobile. Just got it around 630pm EST
I never get these updates on time
these are server side updates. They roll out over weeks
Yeah and I’m always 2 months or so behind with those.
Amazing