Is there a way to turn off app updates when global and app-specific autoupdate setting is already set to Never/Off? On Monday, January 18th, 2016, on a never-network-locked-or-branded Nexus 5, I've noticed that the Google Chrome app was suddenly updated, together with the user-installed "My Cricket" and one other app (possibly Visual Voicemail?), after doing an intended manual update of some unrelated app.  In all, 4 apps were updated, when only one was intended to be.

I've uninstalled the Google Chrome updates (which also resulted in the data-loss of the browser history and the open windows), but wasn't able to restore My Cricket to any prior version, since, being user-installed from the Play Store, there's no option to go back.

Today, Wednesday, 20th, the Google Chrome app was force updated again.  I've confirmed that its individual settings are not set to autoupdating, nor are the global settings set to apply the updates.  Moreover, one of the top reviews for Google Chrome was a 2-star one, dated 19.01.2016, also alleging a forced autoupdate!


How do I really disable the updates?  Like, for real, no exceptions?
Is there a way to see for sure which exact apps were updated?  E.g., what was that forth app that I allege must be the "Visual Voicemail" one?  (Only the first three apps were visible in the status in the notification bar, but it was mentioned that 4 updates were performed.)
Is there a way to backup my browser history and the open-windows, to prevent losing it all when uninstalling the unsanctioned update?
Is there a way to backup all my apps?


Please kindly note that a user-mistake is highly unlikely -- it happened twice, and was also reported by a highly-voted review in the Play Store.  Also note that the phone has been disconnected from Cricket many months ago; it's only used through WiFi; so, any sort of network interference is likewise a quite remote possibility (it still has the SIM, though, but it hasn't registered to any network in a very long time now, always showing no reception in the top status bar).
That Google Chrome update is horrendous! It's being forced outside of Play Store, but there is a way to disable it.

It's pretty ugly, but here's how I stopped it, while keeping Play Services (Gmail, Maps, etc): Go into Application Manager, scroll over to the "All" tab, and find "Download manager". Once you disable that, there will be NO updates from anywhere.

Now, Play Store won't open all the way, asking you to turn Download manager back on. So when you need to use Play Store, go back into settings, find Chrome, disable it, then clear data on Download manager and also on Play Store. Then, you can update other apps without updating Chrome.

You also will need to use Firefox or Opera to download PDFs and other files online.

Hope this helps,