All of the native GOS apps, such as Camera and Vanadium, auto-update and give notifications about updates. However, the Accrescent Mirror app I installed from the App Store does not automatically update while a stable version was released several days ago. When I open the App Store it does show an Update button under the app but it does not update automatically.

Is this by design?

I did not get a notification about the update either while all of the native GOS app updates do give notifications and update automatically.

Auto-Updates are turned on in the Apps Store but turned off in Accrescent so I did not know there was an update until I opened the App Store.

The way Mirror releases work is not very clear to me. After I found out Accrescent does not automatically update I had a look at Google Play Services.
The Available version on the service in the GOS App Store is 24.22.13 but seems to be far behind the shown installed version 24.28.35. The GOS App store available version of the Google Play Store is also behind the already installed version.
I do not manually update anything in the GOS App Store. I install and forget.

Can someone explain to me if this is by design and why the GOS Available version is lower as the installed version?

Accrescent specifically is excluded from being kept up to date via GrapheneOS' app store. You're meant to let Accrescent take over updating itself.

    As far as Play Store and services goes, the version you see in the app store will be lower than what you have yourself if you're letting play services update itself. This is fine.

      matchboxbananasynergy Accrescent specifically is excluded from being kept up to date via GrapheneOS' app store. You're meant to let Accrescent take over updating itself.

      It was unclear that this was required and that it is excluded by design. Accrescent has auto-update disabled by default. I will turn on auto-update in Accrescent so it can take over the update process.

      matchboxbananasynergy As far as Play Store and services goes, the version you see in the app store will be lower than what you have yourself if you're letting play services update itself. This is fine.

      This was also unclear but if it is nothing to worry about this topic can be marked as solved because all questions are answered.
      Thank you.

        FOSSOS Accrescent has auto-update disabled by default.

        That's curious. I just cleared app data for Accrescent, uninstalled it and then reinstalled it from the App Store, then checked Accrescent's in-app settings and "automatic updates" is enabled by default for me. Strange that it was disabled on your end.

          fid02 That is curious indeed. I downloaded it from Github to be able to install AppVerifier and install Obtainium a few days before GOS added it to the App Store and checked the hashes on the sources they provide. I don't know how to manually verify a signing hash without downloading everything to a computer first, and then I still don't really know how, so I decided to uninstall it and AppVerifier and install it from the GOS App Store instead to be sure it was an safe installation. I didn't touch the settings but when it showed an update in the App Store I had a look at the settings in Accrescent and automatic updates was disabled.