Fresh Google Play Store and Services Updates Continue Improvements

For the third time this month, Google is pushing out new features and improvements to almost all Android phones, thanks to Google Play Store and Google Play Services updates. This time, the changes are minor, but Family Link, Wallet, and gamers should find a little something to be happy about.

The new updates are rolling out as of January 28 as Google Play Store v28.9 and Google Play Services v22.02.15.

Below, you can see the entire list of what’s happening this round. The account management and wallet stuff are coming from the new Google Play Services, while the Store section is, well, coming from the Play Store update. There is also a system management update that talks about daylight savings transitions, and that was apparently part of the January Google Play system update.

Account Management

• [Phone, Tablet] Notifications from Family Link on a child’s device can redirect to parental controls using the Android Settings in two-pane mode (foldable & large-screen devices only).
• [Phone, Tablet] Parents helping their supervised children sign into their device will now be shown an option to also remotely install Family Link on their own device

Google Play Store

• Improvements to Play-as-you-download feature to let gamers start playing mobile games while the app download continues to reduce waiting times.

Wallet 

• [Auto, Tablet, TV, Wear OS, Phone] Some eligible cardholder users will default to SMS verification.
• [Auto, Tablet, TV, Wear OS, Phone] Allows purchase, digitization & use of supported transit passes for Pay As You Go (stored balance) in UK.

System Management

• Support for new daylight savings time transition changes in various countries.

You can find the previous two updates here and here.

To check for updates to the Google Play Store, head into the Store, tap your profile (top right), then Settings>About and tap “Update Play Store.”