I would like to suggest doing a more modular upgrade process the same way that is used in termux where apt is used to fetch code. Thus Briar could be upgraded piecewise using a cut down version of apt.

I also propose using torrents software within Briar, as an additional way to fetch and verify any upgrade files, so that play store could become superfluous once the initial install is made. The torrents component could be activated as needed and used to voluntarily help distribute system files to other users.

I am suggesting this because other apps have this problem of constantly having to uograde. To do this anonymously needs f-droid or yalp store over tor, but the downloads are slow and have a high failure rate, needing to keep restart the download when secure communications apps are being fetched.

It is imho key to have anonymous downloads and easy software distribution not subject to packet injection and blocking.