Google’s ongoing drive to make the best Android phones even better shows no signs of stopping, and the new September Android update (opens in new tab) makes some important improvements to your privacy and Play Store.
The first change is that Play Store listings will include additional information about apps so that we can “make better installation decisions”. It’s unclear what that information will be, but it will likely revolve around privacy and app permissions. And there’s a new feature that lets you track app installation progress across all your devices, not just your current one.
These features appear to be server-side, ie they run on Google’s servers rather than locally on your device, so it’s just a matter of waiting for Google to flip the switch and turn it on.
More New Features in September Android Update
The Play Protect feature, which gives you security information about apps, is moving to the Security & Privacy page in your Settings app, and Google has already enabled improvements to the Play Store on Wear OS. Menu navigation has been improved for large screens in landscape mode, and you can hide recommended apps during the Google Kids Space installation routine. You can also install Google Kids Space on a second account when you set up a device.
As always with updates, there are plenty more bug fixes, minor tweaks and optimizations, plus the usual collection of security updates to keep your device safe. According to Google’s schedule, some of the new features have already been delivered; the rest will arrive on September 29 via Google Play Services.