Google has pushed its September 2025 “Google System Updates,” the monthly bundle that ships improvements via Play services, the Play Store, and Project Mainline modules. Highlights this round include reliability fixes for the Play Store (smoother installs/updates and better auto-archiving behavior), expanded Play Protect real-time scanning to catch sideloaded threats faster, and small UX polish in Wallet for passes and transit cards. Google also lists under-the-hood changes for account management and family features, plus fixes for device connectivity and backup/restore edge cases.

Rollout happens server-side and through app updates, so you won’t see a traditional OTA—just keep Play services and the Play Store updated and reboot if features don’t appear. As usual, the package lands on Android 12 and up, with some items dependent on region or carrier.

Themed app icons are going mandatory on Android

Google is making Material You’s monochrome “themed app icons” a requirement for Play developers, moving the look from nice-to-have to table stakes. The policy shift means app updates will need to include a compliant, single-color adaptive icon that can be tinted by the system to match your wallpaper. The goal: a cleaner, more coherent home screen across launchers and devices, not just Pixels.

For developers, this is a light lift—supply a proper vector glyph and follow contrast guidelines—but it should eliminate the patchwork of colorful holdouts that break the aesthetic. Expect enforcement to phase in on new submissions and app updates, with edge-case exemptions limited to apps where branding or legibility truly suffers. For users on Android 13+, the payoff is simple: fewer mismatched icons and a more polished setup out of the box.

Samsung patches a zero-day under active attack — update your Galaxy now

Samsung’s September security maintenance release includes a fix for a critical Android vulnerability that was being exploited in the wild. While technical details are limited to protect users, the flaw could allow attackers to gain elevated privileges or run code on targeted devices—serious enough that Samsung is urging immediate updates across supported Galaxy phones and tablets.
To check: Settings → Software update → Download and install.

If the patch isn’t available yet for your model or carrier, keep Play Protect on, avoid sideloading from unknown sources, and be extra cautious with links and attachments. Samsung’s bulletin also rolls up dozens of additional fixes from both Google and Samsung, so even if you’re not directly at risk from the zero-day, the update is worth grabbing as soon as it hits your device.