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I use an android phone without Google Play store, although I do install OTA OS updates when they arrive. I don't have a Google account set up.

My standard Photos and Messages apps checking for updates, presumably outside the Google Play store, and spamming me with messages like "Chat and text on your computer". These links take me to Google Play store, which is disabled.

Is there a way to prevent apps like these from doing their own software update checks?

This happened on Blackberrry KeyOne and Unihertz Titan, though I don't think it's specific to the phone model.

The specific apps I'm talking about are:

  • com.google.android.apps.messaging 7.2.204 (Isu_RC02.phone_dynamic)
  • com.google.android.apps.photos 5.30.0.357810041
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  • You mean did I contact Google? No I haven't.
    – Joe
    Sep 24, 2021 at 11:42
  • If this was an app I had installed, I wouldn't be surprised. Yes, Messages may be an APK but it's hard to call it an 'app', it's expected minimum built-in functionality for a phone.
    – Joe
    Sep 24, 2021 at 11:52
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    I guess the "issue" here is that Blackberry and Unihertz use Google apps as their built-in apps. Note that vendors can customize the built-in apps, like how Samsung uses their own Samsung Messages as a messaging app and Samsung Gallery as an image management app..
    – Andrew T. ♦
    Sep 24, 2021 at 12:12
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    So, unless you are okay with/need using Google apps, perhaps blocking the connection to the server might be a solution (sorry, don't have specific reference Q&A for now). Otherwise, installing 3rd-party apps using APK might be an easier alternative.
    – Andrew T. ♦
    Sep 24, 2021 at 12:24
  • As far as I know Google apps have a built-in warning notification if the app is older than a certain time like ~6 months (some time ago this was revealed on iOS as Apple was blocking some updates from Google and GMail app was complaining that it is outdated but it was the latest public version). I assume the same is true for Google's Android apps.
    – Robert
    Sep 24, 2021 at 16:43

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