July Google Play update
Various types of updates are released for Android. Android version updates, security updates and Google Play system updates. The latter are rolled out by Google to the various models. These updates are divided into different parts, but combined into a single update. The July update brings the necessary improvements once again. Various Google apps are also updated as part of this.
Google Play Services v26.28 (20 July 2026)
Account management
- [Phone] This update adds support for audio permissions in WebViews.
- [Phone] This update enables device manufacturers to launch storage management and subscription workflows.
Developer Services
- [TV] Support for TVs has been added to the Android Credentials Manager, making it easier to use saved passwords and access keys, including the option to use your phone for authentication via an access key.
Device connectivity
- [Car, phone, TV] With this update, enhanced quality logging is now available.
- [Phone] Bug fixes for device connection services.
Security and emergencies
- [Phone] You can now find your device’s IMEI number on the lock screen.
Wallet
- [Phone] You will now return to the previous screen rather than the Wallet home screen after completing or cancelling an action, or encountering an error in My Account.
Google Play Store v52.4 (20 July 2026)
- [Phone] With this update, we’re introducing natural language search queries.
- [Phone] With this update, search suggestions and the search input box have been expanded to two lines.
- [Phone] You can now add an app’s widget to your home screen whilst installing the app.
Android WebView v151 (15 July 2026)
- The HTTP Cache Quota API allows app developers to optimise and manually manage the size of the WebView HTTP cache.
- This is a migration in which the Android WebView infrastructure for visited links is transferred to an infrastructure for visited links that is optimised for partitions, without changing the behaviour.
- Security and privacy improvements, and bug fixes.
- New features for Google and third-party app developers to support functionality for displaying web content within their apps.
Important: Somefeatures may be experimental and only available to certain users.
Google Play Store v52.3 (13 July 2026)
- [Phone] You’ll now see improved content layout and higher content density on large screens.
- [Phone] You can now recognise AI-generated images in the EU by the AI label. Certain formats or older images may not yet support the tag.
- [Wear] With this update, the Wear details page now uses the Univision architecture instead of the deprecated fragment architecture.
Android AICore
- [PC, phone] Changes to security filters for features with streaming output, improvements to model downloading and management, and additional diagnostic data for multimodal inference and API latency.
Android System Intelligence V.76 (13 July 2026)
- [Phone] Bug fixes and maintenance changes.
Private Compute Services B.27 / C.5 (10 July 2026)
- [Phone] Maintenance changes.
Google Play Services v26.26 (6 July 2026)
Account Management
- [Phone] With this update, you’ll now enjoy faster, more seamless in-app purchase functionality with the improved native storefront for Google One.
- [Phone] This update adds a new API to make setting up work profiles more reliable.
Developer services
- [Phone] New features for developers of Google and third-party apps to support Maps-related processes within their apps.
Location and context
- [PC] You can now manage Google Location Sharing settings and compatibility for supported device types.
Utilities
- [Car, PC, phone, TV, Wear] New features for developers of Google and third-party apps to support utility features within their apps.
The update will be rolled out to various Android devices over the coming weeks. The July update for Google Play will be available not only for Pixel devices but also for all other brands. You’ll receive a notification about this on your device.
