Google has a new trick to inform Android users of a major OS update

Google is introducing a new way to encourage users to upgrade to the latest versions of Android. It’s called the ‘Android Update Invite’—technically a push notification that leads users through a series of screens or ‘flow’ that highlight the new features of a major Android update.

First spotted by Mishaal Rahman, OEMs can trigger this functionality through broadcast or API use, or automatically through Google’s over-the-air services (gOTA).

For instance, if a user is currently using Android 12 but an update to Android 13 is available, OEMs can trigger the ‘Android Upgrade Invite’ notification to pop up. By tapping the notification, users can see what new features the update will offer, and even install it directly from the flow.

Otherwise, the notification will automatically appear on phones running on gOTA when they are eligible, or when a major update is detected.

The said feature is part of Google Play Services. And Only Android OEMs with access to Google Mobile Services (GMS) can customize this functionality to match their own brand of Android.

However, there is no mention of how frequently this fancy notification would appear on users’ end. That remains to be seen until OEMs implement such feature.

Regarding this, Android fragmentation has been a persistent issue for the platform. The latest version, Android 13, has only been adopted by 13.3% of users. Meanwhile, Android 11 despite being released way back in 2020, still holds the majority with 23.5% of devices running it.

In the past, checking an Android update is quite dull and uninteresting. A user checks through the settings and only see a changelog of what’s new in a certain Android update.

With Google’s new Android Upgrade Invite, users not only get a whole new look at what’s next of Android, but they’ll also get informed quickly of a major update. We still have to see whether this new quirk will have any significant impact on future adoption rates for Android.