Joe Hindy / Android Authority
TL; DR
- The Google Play system update for May 2022 adds a new self-sharing option to Share Nearby.
- It also redesigns the Google Help app.
Google has released the change log for its May 2022 system update, and it adds a long-awaited feature to Nearby Share.
Google’s system updates are targeted at the Android operating system, Google Play Store, and Google Play Services. They affect everything Android, including phones, tablets, Android TV devices, wearables and more. Each month, the company shares detailed notes on the changes it makes with its system update, but usually the change log reads pretty much the same. This month, however, is different.
With the added functionality, you’ll be able to seamlessly share files between devices logged in to the same Google Account. This means that you no longer have to approve every single file you transfer between your own devices. It’s a minor tweak, but a practical one.
Elsewhere, the new Google Play system update also brings a redesign to the Google Help app. Google has not detailed the changes, but the app may now be more in line with the company’s Material You design theme, as it introduced with the Pixel 6.
You can read the rest of the change log for the update below. To get the new features, you need to upgrade to Google Play Services v22.15 and Google Play Store v30.3. You can go to the Google Play Store to update Play Services.
Google Play System Update May 2022
Critical corrections
- [Auto, Phone, Tablet, TV, Wear OS] Bug fixes for account management and system administration and diagnostics related services.
Account management
- [Phone, Tablet] Migration of the existing device setup onboarding flow for supervised work accounts to a web-based experience.
Device connections
- [Auto, Phone, TV] Nearby Share now allows users to share content more seamlessly between their devices logged in to the same account.
Google Play Store
- Improvements to the Play-as-you-download feature to let players start playing mobile games while app downloads continue to reduce latency.
[3] - New features to help you discover the apps and games you love.
- Optimizations that enable faster and more reliable download and installation.
- New features for the Play Pass and Play Points programs.
- Improvements to Google Play Billing.
- Continuous improvements to Play Protect to keep your device safe.
- Various performance optimizations, bug fixes, and improvements in security, stability, and availability.
Support
- [Auto, Phone, Tablet, TV, Wear OS] Design enhancements for the Google Help app.
System management
- Updates to system administration services that improve stability and performance.
Developer services
- New developer features for Google and third-party app developers to support ads, placement services, and utility-related developer services in their apps.