Does Google Play Store update apps automatically without user input?

OpenSource-Ghost

I need advise for some elder folks who need GOS and do reboot their phones when GOS updates come out, but they can't be bothered updating other apps through Aurora Store and F-Droid because both Aurora Store and F-Droid can't automatically download and update apps in the background without asking for permission each time.

Is Google Play Store the only fully automatic store for non-rooted devices? I need it to download and install updates in the background without asking user any questions. Can Google Play Store be set to do that?

GrapheneOS

OpenSource-Ghost Every app can support unattended updates. They can do fully automatic updates for apps where the user authorized them to install the currently installed version. Please read https://grapheneos.org/usage#sandboxed-google-play because you seem to be significantly misunderstanding the sandboxed Google Play feature. It has no special access or privileges. You're implying that it does which is wrong. Our compatibility layer uses the standard unattended update support for the Play Store.

F-Droid and Aurora Store are both very outdated and don't support this. F-Droid is missing support for using the modern Android package installation system and many other features. It has a lot of missing security features and doesn't follow the intended app source model correctly. Enabling an app source is not meant to enable installing from more than one source and this is incompatible with it being a trusted app source. F-Droid privileged extension breaks multiple standard OS security features and is also completely unnecessary for unattended updates if they simply did things properly.

OpenSource-Ghost

Just tried it and err... It wants me to sign into Google Account before I can start using Play Store. Wasn't Google Play Store separate from Google Accounts before??? It has been years since I logged into any Google Account, so I don't remember.

matchboxbananasynergy

OpenSource-Ghost As far as I know, using Play Store has always required a Google account.

[deleted]

OpenSource-Ghost visit Google Play Store in a browser and try download something, you will be promptly asked to log in
@itehc convenience wins again?!? I would be happy enough to get a notification that there is an update :) but not using sandbox I can only dream of it. But hey, we all have different needs.

itehc

New grapheneOS user speaking.
I just try on my phone with google play store and services installed.
The apps that i've installed with Google play store are not automatically updated.
In my google play store account they are shown as "update available".
I need to click on "update all" so that they are installed.
Maybe that there is a setting that need to be activate (?)
Hope this contribute to answer your question.

matchboxbananasynergy

itehc You're not giving it enough time to automatically update the app, or you've said it to only do it on Wi-Fi and are using cellular data.

itehc

matchboxbananasynergy Tks ! You're right ! I was on wifi only... I'll check again if it has work properly and will come back to tell how it went.

OpenSource-Ghost

This really sucks. Android needs an open-source app store that doesn't require a Google account and can be integrated into AOSP and/or GOS on a level that allows for fully automated app updates without user intervention.

f13a-6c3a

Doesn't Obtainium do that?

dazinism

Ffupdater can do it well, as can Accrescent, also GraoheneOS Apps all currently have a very limited amount of apps available.
Neostore also can, but possibly can be a bit unreliable?

OpenSource-Ghost

I mean an open-source store that allows access to Google Play Store repository. Basically, we need an updated and secure version of Aurora Store with unattended auto-update feature.

It was a long time since I used Google account. Can Google Account privacy settings be set to not list apps downloaded from Google Play Store?

OpenSource-Ghost

Maybe I misunderstand the initial reply. Is it saying that full auto-update of apps through sanboxed GPS in GOS isn't possible because such full auto-update through GPS requires privileged access that GOS doesn't provide to GPS?

matchboxbananasynergy

OpenSource-Ghost The compatibility layer in GrapheneOS makes Play Store use the unattended update API instead, which is available to all apps, instead of the privileged one it would normally use.

Automatic unattended updates are possible with Play Store on GrapheneOS as a result.

toddvarg

A very new grapheneOS user asking a question related to the same issue. If I need to start a new thread, let me know, so I don't hijack someone else's thread. As far as I have understood it, I can install the apps I need from playstore, set it to auto-update and then in theory log of the google account or uninstall it, and the apps will still auto-update? I have an google-account I only use for apps (using proton-mail) , would it be ok use this, since I have some paid apps there or is it more safe to make a new account?

SgtSurehand

toddvarg I believe if you sign out this is not going work with paid apps where the app licence gets presumably checked against your particular purchase history.

toddvarg

SgtSurehand so as long as it's not paid apps, it will work with auto-update and logging out/uninstall. Maybe it's ok to be logged in, since the apps are sand-boxed anyway. I'm trying to understand this new beautiful world of being able to decide your self when it comes to mobile phone (been on linux laptop for years).