Google’s already testing even more simultaneous Play Store app updates

Key Takeaways

• Last week, Google finally rolled out functionality to allow three apps to update at once.
• Now, a limited server-side experiment indicates that the functionality might be upgraded to support four concurrent app updates.
• This is true for both new app installations and updates to existing apps.

Earlier this year, in April, Google finally rolled out the ability to perform multiple concurrent app downloads from the Play Store, making the process of downloading several apps, like while setting up a new phone, as seamless and possible.

Subsequently, last week, concurrent app updates went live on the Play Store, allowing users to update multiple apps simultaneously. With auto-update off, you normally have to manually update one app, wait for it to complete installation, and only then would a second app begin updating. With the recent change, users can update up to three applications at the same time.

The feature is rolling out widely as a server-side update, and even though it hasn’t landed on all devices yet, Google already seems to be testing a subsequent upgrade to it. As shared by GSMArena, it has discovered that a small number of users can now download up to four new and existing apps concurrently. This is true for both new installations and updates to existing apps.

The report suggests that the change was found on an iQOO Z9s Pro device in India, running Google Play Store 42.4.22-31 [0] [PR] 663941805. It also suggests that the change isn’t widespread, and only a very small percentage of users are able to download/update four apps at once, indicating that this is a very limited server-side experiment.

We’ve tried replicating the feature on Play Store 42.4.22-31 [0] [PR] 663941805, and on later-released versions, to no avail. It remains unclear if and when Google will roll out the update to the masses, though we don’t see a reason for the tech giant to keep the useful feature tucked away for too long.

Elsewhere, the tech giant has also been spotted working on an ‘Auto-open’ feature, which, as its name suggests, will auto-launch apps right after you install them from the Play Store. The feature was first spotted as code as early as June, and it has now been spotted in Play Store version 42.5.15. Once widely available, the feature will be enabled by default, but you’ll have an option to toggle it off within the Play Store’s settings.