Google apps recommend an update that doesn't exist

Various Google apps currently erroneously require an update of Google Play Services on some Android devices. These are a prerequisite for the smooth operation of various Google apps, but also help other apps, for example, they are an elementary part of the delivery of push notifications via Google servers. The current pop-up notifications about the supposed update lead to the Google Play Services entry in the Play Store.

However, if you have already installed the current stable version 25.09.33, you will not be able to install another update. Nevertheless, the pop-up message appears again after a few minutes. This is obviously a bug. It is not known when the bug will be fixed. The editorial team is not aware of any security-relevant side effects, the problem is probably limited to the annoyance factor.

It is possible that the issues with the software go deeper. On a Pixel device belonging to the editorial team, which does not (yet) have the bug described above and is running Android 15 with the March update completed, we found incomplete information on possible updates on Tuesday. In fact, there were more app updates available than the Play Store displayed. Additional app updates were offered in the smartphone's settings, which the Play Store concealed, but not all available updates. The update to version 25.09.33 was available for the Play Store services in particular, but was not automatically displayed anywhere. We were only able to trigger this update by manually calling up the corresponding entry in the Play Store.

Google Play Services helpful, optional under certain circumstances

Programmers can also program Android applications without using Google Play Services, but then have to do without certain functions, in particular push notifications, via Google's infrastructure. Back in 2017, the privacy-conscious messenger Signal made it possible to use Signal without Google Play Services. If these are missing, Signal uses push messages via websockets.

For this to work, the data connection must be maintained, which consumes more power. Signal must then be excluded from Android's power consumption optimization. However, this is advisable for Signal even when using Google Play Services because Android's power-saving routine sometimes puts the Signal app so deeply asleep that Signal messages are no longer passed through until the user calls up the program manually.

(ds)