Rita El Khoury / Android Authority
TL;DR
- Google is addressing an issue that’s been affecting the installation of Play System updates on devices running Android 16.
- The company says it has identified the problem and will resolve it with an upcoming update.
- The issue also affected our Pixel 9a running Android 16, and many others reported the problem on other Pixel phones as well.
I’ve been dealing with an update issue on my Pixel 9a running Android 16 for weeks, and it turns out I’m not the only one. For a while now, I haven’t been able to install new Google Play system updates successfully. Every time I tapped the update button, the phone detected an available update and began installing it. However, partway through the process, the installation would abruptly stop and show a “Failed to update” error message.
At first, I brushed it off as a problem with a specific Play System update. But just as I was considering a full factory reset, I discovered that many others running Android 16 or Android 16 QPR builds were experiencing the same issue.
Thankfully, Google has acknowledged the problem and is taking action.
In a new support article, Google says it’s aware of an issue that’s preventing some Android 16 and Android 16 beta devices from installing the latest Google Play system update. (If you’re unsure where to find that, go to Settings > Security & Privacy > System & updates > Google Play system update.)
The good news is that Google says there’s no need to factory reset your phone. A fix has been identified and will be included in an upcoming Google Play system update.
Hopefully, this means the issue will be resolved soon, and we’ll finally be able to install Play system updates again. I’m especially looking forward to the improvements included in the recent July updates.
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