Samsung explains the absence of Google Play Services updates

For some time now, there have been rumors circulating because Samsung smartphones are apparently no longer receiving Google Play Services updates. There are plenty of speculations about the reasons. heise online asked Samsung – and now the manufacturer has explained the observed phenomenon.

Samsung told heise online: "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." It is currently planned "to include the Google update in January 2026."

This is therefore a conscious decision and a controlled process. From an IT security perspective, this apparently does not pose a problem, otherwise Samsung would certainly distribute Google's updates. The company pays close attention to device security for its Galaxy smart devices, as this is the reason why the devices are frequently used in business environments.

Temporary Suspension of Google Play Services Updates

Smartphones with the Android operating system generally receive several updates; for Samsung, major system updates are released about once or twice a year. In addition, there are the security updates for Android from Google, which are now only provided quarterly. Device manufacturers are responsible for these themselves. Independently of this, there are finally the Google Play updates, which Google itself actually provides and distributes monthly.

Owners of Samsung smartphones have recently observed more frequently that, for example, the Android system update was offered on their device, bringing the security level up to date as of December 1, 2025. However, the Google Play system update version remains at the level of July 1, 2025, August 1, 2025, or September 1, 2025, for example, thus causing confusion.

Rumors about the reasons are rendered obsolete by the official statement. Samsung device owners apparently do not need to worry, as the company is deliberately causing this behavior while keeping the (security) situation in mind.

(dmk)