Google is now rolling out a beta update for the next iteration of its Google Play Services framework, which is said to be designed to address a recently reported issue affecting some of its Cast-enabled devices. For those who may not have previously been aware, the issue in question was one that affected various users’ Wi-Fi – sending too much traffic to networking devices, causing the network itself to inexplicably glitch. More drastically, some users also reported that it could cause a temporary crash for the entire network. Thankfully, this is a relatively rapid turnaround, with the beta rollout starting just a couple of days after a fix was reported by Google to be underway. Better still, the update to Google Play Services can be downloaded and installed by anybody feeling adventurous, via a mirror to the APK at the source link below.
In the meantime, however, it’s worth pointing out that there may be a couple of good reasons to wait before installing this particular update. For starters, the fix on offer is a beta version of the software, according to the source. That means that there could be further, unforeseen issues brought on by the installation and it could cause other features, apps, or services tied to Google Play Services to cease operating correctly. That’s primarily because devices tend to vary and, even after a full battery of tests, there’s a chance it won’t work properly on any given device. The framework is also directly tied to background processes used by a huge variety of both Google-made and third-party apps. Beyond that, the process for checking which version of the update should be installed is not necessarily easy to follow, even if it is relatively straightforward. That means there’s a chance the wrong update would be installed, which can cause issues of its own.
So, while the rollout itself could take days or even weeks, it may be a good idea for less experienced users to hold off on grabbing the download. In any case, with consideration for the speed at which Google was able to put out a beta fix, it shouldn’t be too long before a consumer-ready version begins rolling out and everybody can plug their Chromecasts back in.