Google Play Store update ensures you don't forget about widgets from that shiny new app

Google has released new updates for the Play Store and Google Play Services, bringing a bunch of under-the-hood improvements and new features to both, including a feature we’ve previously spotted under development.

Play Services update brings IMEI to your lock screen

The latest version of Google Play Services (v26.28) is here, and users can now choose to display their device’s IMEI number on the lock screen. This can be helpful for lost or stolen phones. However, prominently displaying a phone’s IMEI number can also allow malicious actors to track or clone the device. Fortunately, it seems Google will leave it up to users to decide whether they want their IMEI displayed on the lock screen when the feature rolls out.

IMEI on the lock screen seems to be a server-side rollout. As such, it’s not yet available on several of our devices, even with the latest version of Play Services.

Other new additions with the Google Play Services update

The Play Services update also adds a couple of other quality-of-life improvements: apps can now ask for audio permissions in WebViews. This can be useful when a user taps a link that opens in a WebView within the app. Previously, if the linked webpage required audio permissions, it couldn’t request them, so it wouldn’t work properly.

On Android TV, the new update adds support for the Android Credential Manager. This will let users easily access saved passwords and passkeys on their TV. It also gives the option to use a phone for passkey authentication.

Here’s the full changelog for Google Play Services v26.28:

• Account Management
  • [Phone] This update adds support for audio permission in WebViews.
  • [Phone] This update adds support for device manufacturers to launch storage management and subscription flows.
• Developer Services
  • [TV] Add TV support for the Android Credential Manager, making it easier to use saved passwords and passkeys, including the option to use your phone for passkey authentication.
• Device Connectivity
  • [Auto, Phone, TV] With this update, additional quality logging is now available.
  • [Phone] Bug fixes for Device Connections related services.
• Safety & Emergency
  • [Phone] You can now find your device IMEI on the lock screen.
• Wallet
  • [Phone] You’ll return to your previous screen after you complete, cancel, or encounter an error in My Account instead of the Wallet home screen.

What’s new in the Google Play Store

The Google Play Store is also being updated to version 52.4, and it brings a couple of notable changes. The Play Store now displays natural language queries. It also expands the search suggestions and search input box to two lines.

The Play Store will also give users an option to add an app’s widgets to the home screen during app installation. This could prove useful for people who love using widgets, or while installing widget apps.

The update also introduces limited mobile data usage for restoring apps in India, Nigeria, and Indonesia. These features are also currently unavailable on our test devices and are likely to be server-side rollouts as well.

Here’s the full changelog for Google Play Store v52.4:

• [Phone] With this update, we show natural language queries.
• [Phone] This update expands search suggestions and the search input box to 2 lines.
• [Phone] Limited mobile data usage for restoring apps in India, Nigeria, and Indonesia.
• [Phone] You’ll now have the option to add an app’s widget to your home screen during app installation.

You can update your phone to the latest Google System Services by heading over to Settings > Google settings > All Services > Privacy and security > System services. You can also enable automatic updates to ensure your phone is always running the latest available version of Google’s System Services.