RIP LG smartphones, today is the last day to update your device

It's widely known that LG was once a player in the smartphone market but decided to call it quits back in 2021. The South Korean conglomerate cited the "incredibly competitive" nature of the smartphone sector as the reason behind its departure.

Seeing what's going on in the current times, it's evident that LG wasn't wrong in calling the smartphone market super competitive. Apple, which owns one of the two most popular mobile platforms, is struggling to keep up with the generative AI wave.

LG sold off its remaining inventory and shifted its focus to other businesses like EV components, connected devices, smart homes, robotics, AI, B2B solutions, and mobility-related technologies such as 6G.

However, the former smartphone maker didn't leave its users high and dry by turning their devices into a paperweight. It promised three iterations of Android updates for premium devices released in 2019 and later, including G series, V series, VELVET, and Wing. Meanwhile, certain 2020 models, such as the LG Stylo and K series, only got two years of updates.

LG also announced that it will pull the plug on various services powering its defunct mobile device ecosystem on June 30, 2025 at 00:00 KST (Korea Standard Time). If you live in other parts of the world, this translates to June 29 at 11:00 am ET / 8:00 am PT / 16:00 pm BST / 3:00 pm GMT.

The company will shut down LG Electronics Mobile Phone Software Upgrade (FOTA), Update Center (Application Service) after this day, and the LG Bridge PC tool will also stop working. The desktop app lets you backup your data via USB and install software updates.

In other words, if you have any pending software upgrades for your LG smartphone, today is the last day to install them. "As we will no longer provide application updates, you will not be able to download default applications deleted upon initialization," the company cautioned.

LG said that will delete the personal information collected for the services immediately after the plug is pulled on them. "However, if we are required to store personal information according to the provisions of related laws and regulations and internal company policies, we will store it for the predetermined period set forth in the related laws and regulations and internal company policies," it added.

While it may not be as big as Samsung or Apple, LG has had its share of innovations in the smartphone market. The LG G3 was the first smartphone to launch with a QHD display and include laser autofocus in 2014. The LG G Flex and G Flex 2 made rounds on the web for their curved displays and flagship specifications.

There was also the LG Wing in 2020, sporting two screens that could swivel to become perpendicular to each other. It was fitted with dual compass sensors, dual acceleration sensors, and dual gyro sensors to power a camera feature called "Gimbal Mode," providing the functionality of a gimbal.

The South Korean giant is out from the smartphone market, but there were reports that LG could pair up with Samsung to develop an AI smartphone. LG has unveiled several other head-turning products like its new UltraFine monitor with the world's first 6K display or the 3-in-1 projector that doubles up as a Bluetooth speaker and LED mood lamp.

This story was originally published on April 29, 2025.

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