Android

Mystery Unfolds: System App Updates Vanish from Google Play Store's Pending Downloads

System-level apps like Android Switch and Google Wi-Fi Provisioner are missing from the Pending downloads list, though updates can still be found directly in their Play Store listings.

6 months ago

Issue Overview The Google Play Store is not showing updates for system-level apps, such as Android Switch, Android System Intelligence, Google Partner Setup, Google Wi-Fi Provisioner, Settings Services, Weather (for Pixel 9), and YouTube. This could be a bug or an intentional change in behavior.

Affected Apps

Android Switch: A system app.
Android System Intelligence: Needed for new features like album artwork in Now Playing history.
Google Partner Setup: Required for devices running Google Mobile Services (GMS).
Google Wi-Fi Provisioner: Another system-level application.
Settings Services: A core system service.
Weather: Recently updated with a redesign, but not appearing unless you open the listing directly.
YouTube: Pre-installed app showing similar issues.
Data Restore Tool: Helps restore data from old phones, only accessible via a direct Google Play link.

Behavior Details

Pending Downloads Screen: System applications that have available updates do not show up on this screen, even when other apps appear normally.
Play Store Notifications: You might receive notifications about available updates, but the apps won't appear in the Pending downloads section.
Manual Updates Required: If auto-updates are disabled, users need to manually check and update these apps through their individual Play Store listings.

Possible Explanations

This issue could be an intentional change by Google, reflecting how system-level applications like Google Play Services are updated. However, if auto-updates are off, critical updates might not install, leading to potential security or functionality issues.