LG says it will offer Android OS updates – including an upgrade to Android 12 – for some of its devices after it leaves the smartphone business, but the company’s bad record leaves us skeptical that it will follow.
In its press release and on a US questions page, LG only says that it will continue to provide some security and OS updates, but a page on LG’s Korean website is seen by XDA Developers specifically mentions that an “Android 12 OS upgrade will also be provided for selected models.” This page also points out that it is subject to change based on product performance, and that the availability of updates may vary by region.
LG US did not share anything specifically when contacted by them The edgeand only stated that ‘LG may offer certain OS upgrades for certain models’, and that ‘further information on software updates will be provided in the near future.’ An Android 11 update schedule has also not yet been confirmed for the US, though details posted on LG’s German website may give a good idea of what it might look like.
Unfortunately, LG was still not very reliable with updates before deciding to leave the phone business; OS upgrades have come slowly, even for flagship devices. In 2018, the company tried to fix this by setting up a software upgrade section, but when it came time to offer Android 9 Pie updates in early 2019, not much changed actually.
If the company does its Android 12 promise well, we expect it to only come to a few high-profile devices, such as the Wing and V60. And with Android 11 only coming to many of the company’s phones later this year, even though the 12 update is likely to come a long way.