The smartphone application can not only be updated, but also reinstalled. The problem was reportedly noticed on May 9. In this way, Russia can add yet another long list of “victories”.

Russia without Chrome

• Interestingly, when checking for updates, the app store shows a downloadable file, but attempts result in an error signaling “Failed to install application”.
• Also, users cannot update the Android System WebView system component, which is responsible for displaying web pages in other applications.
• However, Google Chrome is not only installed from the Google Store. In the case of the App Store, the process is successful.
• In the meantime, users have already started to give negative ratings to the application in the Play Store.

The new pain of the Russians came from nowhere / Photo VC.ru.

Russia’s technology publications are in a hurry to find a way out of this impasse. Some suggest a VPN, claiming that some users can use it to update the browser, while others compile long instructions using apk files and third-party apps. For example, Rozetked proposed a six-step method. In this case, every subsequent update – and they are quite common – the procedure will have to be done again.

The download error occurs on different devices running different versions of Android. In one case, the browser was updated on a Nokia smartphone running Android 9. Chrome for computers updates normally.

There is no official statement from Google yet.

It is worth noting that since May 5, Google Play has banned developers in Russia from downloading and updating paid applications. The company later stated that “due to violations of payment systems, the Google Play payment system has suspended the work of users in Russia since March 10, 2022.” Digital goods in apps via Google Play in Russia. Free apps will continue to be available on the Play Store. To comply with applicable requirements, Google Play will block downloads of paid apps and updates to paid apps from May 5, 2022.”

However, Google Chrome is completely free.