What you need to know
- A new report details that the Galaxy Z Flip 6 and Fold 6 have not received any new Play Systems updates since launch.
- The devices launched with the April 2024 patch; however, the foldables have not received any new ones nor are any available for manual download.
- Google Play System updates can bolster Play Protect and upgrade Android's security and privacy.
A curious discovery shows that Samsung's 2024 foldables are uncharacteristically stuck living in the past software-wise.
Samsung has seemingly forgotten the Galaxy Z Flip 6, Fold 6, and the monthly Google Play System updates. As highlighted by SamMobile, the devices have not received an updated version of Google's Play System software since they were released. The foldable phones are seemingly stuck rocking the April 2024 version of Play Systems and this isn't a funny user error.
The publication notes that Samsung's monthly security updates and Google's Play Systems patches are not one. Users can attempt to manually update the software by heading into Settings > About phone > Software information > Google Play Systems update. However, there's nothing there. For unknown reasons, Samsung hasn't pushed the availability of such a patch to the Flip 6 or the Fold 6.
The Play System updates ensure that the "core elements" of Android are running in ship shape. This also affects the performance of the Play Store.
Further digging shows that Samsung's 2024 foldables are the only devices left out of the loop. The company's past-gen devices and the Galaxy S24 have been consistently updated with the latest Play Systems software
The folks at Android Police chimed in, theorizing that the AI capabilities and software may be the culprit. There's a chance that more "optimization" is required as Samsung polishes things alongside Galaxy AI. While probably, it's alarming that the company hasn't pushed anything, leaving its 2024 foldables with six-month-old software.
Funnily enough, Samsung left a few devices in a bygone software past late in 2023. It was reported last December that the Galaxy S23 series, Fold 5, and the Galaxy A33 were all rocking a July 2023 version of Google Play Systems. Strangely, users attempting to update manually were being hit with a "your device is up to date" message when they weren't. Another instance saw an "updates are temporarily unavailable" message.
It was suggested that such issues would solve themselves automatically. We know Samsung has been toiling away at One UI 6.1.1 (before its rollout) and One UI 7 (Android 15). So, things will likely be resolved for the Flip 6 and Fold 6 in due time — we just have to wait.
Google's Play Systems updates can bring important security and privacy fixes. In June, the update that rolled out improved such aspects of Android and included support for new "Digital Wallets & Payment" processes. The update lets users pair a USB-C cable with Wi-Fi for faster data transfers between devices, as well.
Play Protect played a role as Google upgraded its ability to better safeguard users against malicious application threats.
