June Google System Updates: Wallet UI for foldables, more [Updated]

The Google System Updates for June 2023 are set to include Google Wallet improvements for foldables and more.

Update: The Play Store is set to gain a new tab, while Google Password Manager is getting some improvements.

On its own, Android is a strong platform upon which to build products like phones, tablets, and more. However, many of the things that make our smartphones smart come from the apps and services that Google adds on top of stock Android, particularly the Play Store, Play Services, and the monthly “Play System Updates” for core Android components.

Collectively, those three are referred to as the “Google System,” and each month, Google lists the latest updates and changes for them. Over the course of the month, the company will gradually add more notes, and we do our best to catalog and explain them here. So check back periodically to see what’s new.

The easiest way to check whether you need to update Google Play Services on your phone is to follow a direct link to the app’s Play Store listing and update from there, if available. To update the Play Store, tap your avatar in the corner, then “Settings.” Under the “About” section, you’ll see an option to “Update Play Store.” Meanwhile, Google Play system updates can be found through the Settings app, under About phone > Android version > Google Play system update.

After a messy two months of oddly timed patch notes, Google is now back on track, sharing the first details about the June updates in a timely manner.

First up, Google Wallet is gaining some improvements for foldable phones – perfectly timed for the upcoming launch of the Pixel Fold and the soon-to-be-announced Galaxy Z Fold/Flip 5 generation. One notable detail our team has uncovered is that foldable phones need to be closed in order to make payments or use passes.

Elsewhere in Google Wallet news, the app is adding a toggle that will let you turn off the “fun animations“ that the service occasionally shows when tapping your phone to make a payment.

Update 6/12: According to a Google spokesperson, the appearance of the “Find My Device network” in the patch notes for the June 2023 Google System Updates (as archived below) was a mistake.

[Phone] Find My Device now supports more devices, including accessories, using a new privacy-centric framework.

It seems the upgrade will not be launching this month. Instead, we should expect the Find My Device network to arrive in a future update.

Update 6/21: In the last few days, Google has added a few new patch notes for June 2023. For starters, the Play Store will now have lower latency for loading home page ads, while highlights about apps and games will now appear on the search results page. These changes should arrive as part of Play Store version 36.3.

If you use FIDO security keys with your Android phone, such as one of Google’s Titan Security Keys, you should soon see an upgrade to the UI. This presumably refers to the pop-up sheet that prompts you to tap/connect your security key.

In Google Wallet, there’s support for a new “dynamic Google Pay button” that app developers can choose to use. This button will show your most recently used card securely and conveniently.

Update 6/29: With June nearly coming to a close, Google has added a few more tidbits to this month’s patch notes. First up, the Play Store is apparently set to gain a new tab with “timely” information about events, deals, and more. It’s not yet clear how this will differ from the “Offers” tab that was introduced last year.

Meanwhile, Google Password Manager is gaining the ability to import passwords, though it’s not shared what apps/services it will be able to import from. The tool will also soon be able to switch accounts as well as manage Chrome passwords that are only saved on your device.

Google Play System Updates for June 2023

Account Management

• [Phone] New alerts and recommendations to secure your Google Account.

Device Connectivity

• [Auto, PC, Phone, TV, Wear] Bug fixes for Device Connections related services.

Google Play Store

• [Phone] Updates to search result and ad formats for app-specific search queries.
• [Phone] Improved ads loading latency on Home Page.
• [Phone] On select search results, you can now see key app and game highlights from what users are saying in their reviews.
• [Phone] We are introducing a new tab where you’ll find fresh and timely events, offers, launches, and content about apps and games for you.

Security & Privacy

• [Phone] Enhancing Fido UI on Android Platform.
• [Auto, Phone] Password Manager supports import of passwords, management of local Chrome passwords and account switching.

Utilities

• [Phone] New developer features for Google and third party app developers to support Utilities related processes in their apps.

Wallet

• [Phone] Gpay support for foldable devices.
• [Phone] Control to Opt-out of fun animations after you complete a payment or use a pass.
• [Phone] With the new dynamic Google Pay button, users of your application can see details of the last used card directly on the button surface.

System Management

• [TV] A reminder dialog for pending system updates has been added.
• [Auto, PC, Phone, TV, Wear] Updates to system management services that improve Network Usage and Stability.
• [Phone] Adding HaTS Survey.

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