Tushar Mehta / Android Authority

TL;DR

• Samsung has acknowledged its less-than-frequent Google Play system updates on Galaxy devices.
• It has said that it only delivers software after testing, refuting Google’s plan to split updates into crucial and optional updates.
• However, it has said that it will resume updates in January 2026.

In 2019, Google set out to split Android updates into two parts, so it could deliver crucial features directly to users without needing manufacturers to first adapt them to their custom skins. These updates, now known as Google Play system updates, are responsible for key Android features such as Digital Wellbeing, Privacy Dashboard, theft protection, to name a few. That’s where the Pixel-like UI in some Settings menus comes from. And while Google intended to simplify updates by splitting them, it ended up complicating it for users. That’s because Google Play system updates, which are different from the Google Play Services app you see in the Play Store, don’t always download automatically and often need to be triggered manually from a separate menu, distinct from the usual System Updates section.

It’s alright if you never bothered to check these updates; you can always go to Settings > Security & privacy > System & updates on your Android device and look for any pending updates to enjoy the newest versions of the different features. Except if you use a Samsung phone, in which case you may not have any pending updates. That is because Samsung has been intentionally holding off Google Play system update.

Over the past few months, we’ve also encountered objections from several users about the lack of frequent Google Play system updates on their Galaxy devices. That even includes the newest flagship Galaxy S25 series. These reports also highlight a disparity across different levels of Play system updates: some users are running the September update, while others see the July update as the most recent.

Samsung has now issued a clarification, confirming the delay in delivering these updates and providing a tentative timeline for a more recent release. In a statement to heise online, Samsung said the following:

When introducing new devices or major One UI updates, Samsung exclusively deploys software that the company has verified. Samsung has temporarily suspended the distribution of Google updates to avoid potential issues.

That goes against Google’s entire objective of splitting up the updates. But that’s Samsung for you.

Meanwhile, it has confirmed that a fresh Google Play system update will also be released in January 2026, though it has not confirmed the exact version.

Interestingly, this isn’t the first time Samsung has delayed the Google Play system updates. Back in 2023, Samsung displayed a similar lax attitude towards these updates, leaving users stuck at months-old versions of features baked by Google. Thankfully, it resumed updates in early 2024, and we hope Samsung sticks to its commitment this time as well.

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