Next time your Android device needs a software update, your phone might get a little aggressive in pushing you to install it.
As noted by journalist Mishaal Rahman on Twitter, Google recently launched Android Upgrade Invite, a new "user flow that showcases the key new features included in the current available major Android OS upgrade.” The company is making the feature available to phone makers, so it will be up to them if it lands on your smartphone or not.
Rather than use it for small updates, the idea is to use Android Upgrade Invite for larger upgrades, such as upgrading from Android 13 to 14. Once implemented, your phone maker could send you a push notification suggesting you check out the update. When you tap that notification, you’ll see a slideshow of sorts letting you what you’re missing out on by not upgrading. At the end, a button will encourage you to upgrade.
Device makers will be able to customize the Upgrade Invite for their specific phone. For instance, they could remove irrelevant features from the mix, or update the language and look of the prompts to match their own aesthetic.
The feature is part of Google Play Services, so it will only be available on Android devices that have Google Mobile Services. Beyond new features, updated versions of mobile operating systems also include security upgrades, so it's best to keep your phone as up-to-date as possible. With the notification, the idea is that users who normally ignore upgrades may be more inclined to hit that download button.
