Google Play System Update on Android 10
If your system is on Android 10 or 11, you’d see a “Google Play System Update” notification downloading updates within the background. After that, it prompts you to restart the system to use all of the modifications. On the floor, it seems to be like an app replace, however why does it ask you to restart the system? Does Google Play System Update have something to do with a firmware replace or safety patches? Let’s discover out.
The Backstory
With Android 8, Google introduced Project Treble which tried to separate vendor-level parts from the kernel. While on the person facet, it didn’t look that massive of a change, however for OEMs, it was an enormous shift. They might lastly replace the firmware with out having to depend on SoC distributors like Qualcomm, Mediatek, and so on.
All via latest historical past, you’ll be able to observe that Google has been steadfastly making an attempt to decouple parts from core Android frameworks in order that they are often simply up to date with out having to depend on middlemen.
With Project Treble, they separated the OEM dependency on the SoC vendor, and now with Google Play System Updated (codenamed Project Mainline), Google needs to interrupt its dependency on OEMs for supply of important bug and safety fixes.
What is Project Mainline AKA Google Play System Update?
That was a little bit of the backstory, however right here is why Project Mainline is important and what precisely it does. Google does a stellar job at fixing bugs and patching new vulnerabilities. Soon after the bug fixes, Google releases the code to system producers to patch their Android units. But attributable to lackluster assist from OEMs, tens of millions of units don’t get any replace therefore units stay susceptible to assaults.
Google needs to alter this and most significantly, management the safety facet of Android units from its personal finish. It doesn’t need to depend on OEMs to ship important bug fixes and enhancements. And that’s the place Project Mainline AKA Google Play System Update comes into play. With Android 10, Google chosen 13 parts (known as Mainline Module) to be up to date independently. However, there was an enormous difficulty. It was not necessary for system producers to adjust to all Mainline Modules so many system makers skipped on it.
With Android 11 although, issues have modified dramatically. Now, Google has upped the Mainline Modules from 13 to 25 (which suggests extra management at Google’s hand) and all of them are necessary for OEMs to implement. Even in case your system is being upgraded from Android 10 to 11 then producers must implement the entire 25 modules of their system. So what are these 25 Mainline Modules and what do they do? Well, take a look on the desk under.
List of Project Mainline Modules
Google has detailed the 25 Project Mainline Modules that may be up to date via Google Play System Update on Android 10 and 11 units. These modules are delivered within the type of an APEX package deal that Google has particularly developed for Google Play System Update. Some of the modules are additionally delivered within the type of APK container.
| Module identify | Package identify |
| adbd | com.google.android.adbd |
| Runtime | com.android.runtime.launch.apex |
| Captive Portal Login | com.android.captiveportallogin |
| CellBroadcast | com.google.android.cellbroadcast |
| Conscrypt | com.android.conscrypt |
| DNS Resolver | com.android.resolv |
| DocumentsUI | com.android.documentsui |
| ExtServices | com.android.ext.companies |
| IPsec/IKEv2 Library | com.google.android.ipsec |
| Media Codecs | com.android.media.swcodec |
| Media | com.android.media |
| MediaSupplier | com.google.android.mediaprovider |
| ModuleMetadata | com.android.modulemetadata |
| Network Stack Permission Configuration | com.android.networkstack.permissionconfig |
| Network Components | com.android.networkstack |
| NNAPI Runtime | com.google.android.neuralnetworks |
| PermissionController | com.android.permissioncontroller |
| SDK Extensions | com.android.sdkext |
| Statsd | com.google.android.os.statsd |
| Telemetry Train Version Package | com.google.mainline.telemetry |
| Tethering | com.google.android.tethering |
| Time Zone Data | com.android.tzdata |
| Wi-Fi | com.google.android.wifi.apex |
How is Google Play System Update Different from Security Patches?
Having talked about safety a lot, it begs the query, how is Google Play System Update totally different from safety patches which are delivered by system makers now and again? Well, each are various things and have totally different functions. Security patches usually comprise kernel-level fixes which have upstream patches coming straight from Linux improvement. It can’t be touched by the Google Play System Update.
Whereas, Google Play System Update intends to repair points discovered by itself parts. For instance, the Permission Controller can replace the insurance policies of granting and controlling permissions on Android units. Similarly, if there is a matter with media codecs then Google can straight tackle that.
It’s pertinent to notice that Google Play System Update is not only about fixing safety loopholes discovered on its parts, however additionally about enhancing them. For instance, sooner or later, Google can very nicely change the UI ingredient and coverage of the Permission Manager with none firmware replace– proper from Android 10 and onwards.
So in summation, Security patches and Google Play System Update are two various things. In reality, each can have totally different patch dates. You can examine for updates from Settings -> About Phone -> Android Version -> Google Play System Update.
Google Play System Update Explained For You
So that was all in regards to the new Google Play System Update that has been considerably upgraded from Android 10 to 11. Again, similar to Project Treble, it doesn’t seem an enormous change on the person’s finish, however it’s absolutely a paradigm shift. You will get immediate bug fixes that had been in any other case unknown to you, making your expertise higher and cohesive. We hope to see increasingly Android parts being added to Project Mainline. Anyway, that’s all from us. If you may have any questions then remark down under and tell us.
