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The LG V30 is back from the dead with official LineageOS support
It’s the first LG device to be added to Lineage’s official roster in 6 years
The meteoric rise and devastating fall of LG Mobile was something to behold — the company went from a relative unknown to one of Google's biggest partners in building out the Android ecosystem, then a series of lukewarm launches and budget cutbacks led to the dissolution of what was once Samsung's chief rival in the smartphone space. Along the way, we got fantastic devices like the flagship G series and the multimedia-focused V lineup, but these incredible phones have been largely abandoned since 2021 — until now.
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- VZW's update notice is now live
Android 10 is here, bereft of any colorful desert name — but many devices are still catching up on the previous version, Android 9 Pie. Such is the state of 2017's LG V30, the Verizon variant of which has recently started receiving the update.
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- T-Mobile has released the help page for the update, and the OTA rollout has started. If you don't have Oreo already on your T-Mobile V30, you should get it soon.
It has taken a while for LG to update its 2017 ultra-flagship to the latest (major) release of Android. The Android Oreo OTA rolled out in South Korea at the end of last year, with a later update adding features from the V30 ThinQ. The Sprint V30 received Oreo in March, followed by AT&T a few days later and Verizon in April.
The LG V30's update to Android 8.0 Oreo has been rolling out for months and months. It started in South Korea and later added the V30 ThinQ smart camera and search features, then it spread to the US and arrived for Sprint, AT&T, Verizon, and finally T-Mobile. Now the unlocked US variant is getting it too.
LG V30 devices on AT&T have started receiving an update to Android 8.0 Oreo. One of our readers was kind enough to let us know his device got the update today, and some Reddit users are reporting the same.
LG has released a number of V30 variants over the past few months, with some of them running Android 8.0 Oreo out of the box (like the V30S ThinQ). Unfortunately, the company has been slow to update the Nougat-powered V30 and V30+, at least outside of South Korea. The Verizon V30 received Android 8.0 earlier this month, and now the Sprint model is next.
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The LG V30 was somewhat of a mixed bag. It had a fantastic design, with excellent camera performance, a microSD card slot, wireless charging, and even a headphone jack. Unfortunately, the OLED screen suffered from quality issues, and the $830 asking price likely kept many potential buyers away. LG could be working on a slightly-upgraded version, according to a new report from ET News.
Last week we heard rumors that LG would announce an updated version of the LG V30 at Mobile World Congress, which lines up well with the previous reports that the company won't release new devices on a yearly schedule and that the expected G7 was scrapped and a new design was being worked on. The other part of the V30 leak was an emphasis on the addition of an AI of sorts called "LG Lens." LG, as it always does prior to major events, has out-leaked everyone and confirmed this by announcing a new 2018 version of the V30 which comes with new AI functionalities.
LG Electronics released its fourth quarter and full-year 2017 financial results this morning, and while the news is mostly very good for the company, its mobile division continues to suffer losses.
For years, LG has released flagship smartphones in tandem with Samsung, but its devices have consistently played second fiddle. Now, LG's Vice Chairman Cho Sung-jin has confirmed a significant strategy shift at the company. LG will no longer launch phones in the G and V series on a set yearly schedule. Instead, it'll launch phones "when it is needed."
The LG V30 was somewhat of a mixed bag. While the hardware and design is excellent, the high price and questionable display quality made it a hard sell for many. LG seems to think a new color option might convince a few buyers, so it has been working on a 'Raspberry Rose' model. The new color will be shown off at CES later this month.
One month ago, LG began a public beta test of Android 8.0 Oreo for the V30 in South Korea. The beta OTA was 1.2GB in size, and unfortunately did not include support for Project Treble. LG has announced that the final build is now rolling out to V30 owners.
LG rolled the V30 out to US carriers almost two months ago, but the unlocked version (US998) has been missing in action. Well, now you can buy it. It's going to cost you a pretty penny, though. The unlocked V30 is going for $819.99 at B&H. There is, however, a rebate if you want to pick up some more LG gear.
LG announced it would begin rolling out a beta version of Android Oreo for the V30 in South Korea earlier this month, allowing users in the region to enroll in its 'Preview Program' if they wanted early access to the build. Despite this, there had yet to be a single report of a V30 getting Oreo since then. That has changed today, with some users claiming they have finally received the beta update on their devices.
YouTube 12.40 brought one small but neat change: a pinch-to-zoom gesture that lets you expand the video to fit an entire 18:9 display. Since most videos are made for the 16:9 format, black bars would sit on each side of the display when you're viewing YouTube videos in fullscreen mode, which sort of detracted from the illusion of having that big shiny nearly full-front display.
It's insane how case manufacturers want to charge consumers for a simple phone case. OtterBox, for instance, wants a whopping $60 for a Defender, a case that isn't even out yet for LG's new V30. But if you like saving a ton of money and still want a tough MIL-STD 810.1G-compliant product, look no further than Zizo's BOLT, STATIC, and ION cases for the V30. Each of the three cases offers great value, and at least one is bound to fit your needs.
For years, LG's smartphones have always seemed to trail Samsung's in some crucial ways. Being direct rivals hailing from the same country, this must rub LG the wrong way. Samsung's OLED displays have always bested LG's IPS LCDs. Its cameras have generally been well ahead in terms of quality and features. Samsung was waterproofing its phones before LG was. Samsung Pay beat LG Pay. Samsung's Gear smartwatches have received far more critical acclaim than LG's Android Wear ones.
Sprint was happy to proclaim a few months back that it would have the exclusive on LG's new V30+. The exclusive didn't last long, though, as US Cellular got the phone a couple weeks later. Now, it's T-Mobile's turn to roll out the roomier version of the V30. This phone launches on November 17th on Tmo, but you might have trouble getting one.
One of the most anticipated phones of the year would have to be LG's V30. It's the successor to the successful and unique V20, which sets a high bar. On paper, it has some impressive specs. In addition to the 2017 flagship standards like a Snapdragon 835 and narrow-bezel design, it also has a quad-DAC-powered headphone jack: a rarity in 2017.
The LG V30 was released in South Korea a month ago, and it arrived in the United States soon after. The phone shipped with Android 7.1.2, and LG sadly didn't give a timeframe for an Oreo update. However, it looks like the company has been hard at work on an Oreo update, and South Korean residents can try it today.