The management of application and operating system upgrades on Android devices is a configurable process. Users possess the ability to modify default settings to prevent the automatic installation of new software versions. This control extends to both applications downloaded from the Google Play Store and the Android operating system itself.
Preventing uncontrolled installations can conserve data usage, particularly on limited mobile plans. It also allows users to thoroughly research updates and confirm compatibility with their existing device configuration before implementation. Historically, users have opted to disable automatic updates to avoid potential disruptions caused by problematic software releases or to maintain a specific version of an application for compatibility reasons.