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Out with the old, in with the new: LineageOS cut support for Android 9 Pie earlier this year, and to make up for the loss, the open-source project has just released version 18.1 based on Android 11. It comes with official support for about 60 phones and tablets.
LineageOS is one of the most popular custom Android ROMs around, with somewhere around two million active installations. Since the last time we covered the project, nine more phones have been updated to the Android 9 Pie branch, and the Nvidia Shield Tablet has made a comeback.
The last time we covered LineageOS, the most popular custom ROM in the Android community, Oreo builds for the Nextbit Robin and Asus Zenfone Max Pro M1 became available. In the month since that post, even more phones have been added to the Oreo roster, including a long-time community favorite - the ZTE Axon 7.
The G4 is going to be available in the coming weeks, but maybe you don't want to spend hundreds on a new flagship phone. One from a few years ago might be good enough, especially when it's available at a steep discount. Case in point, the T-Mobile LG G2 can be yours for just $160 on eBay Daily Deals.
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It may be coming up on 18 months old, but the LG G2 is still a capable device. At this price, though, it's a steal. You can pick up an unlocked G2 (the AT&T model) for $189.99 with free shipping.
LG G2 units on AT&T, T-Mobile, and Verizon have all been updated to Lollipop (or at least begun the process) within the last month. Last, and depending upon coverage in your specific area, very possibly least, is Sprint. According to this Sprint support page, the Android 5.0 over-the-air upgrade is beginning today. You know the drill: check your Settings menu for a manual software refresh, and when that doesn't work, look to your favorite user forum for a side-loaded update file.
According to AT&T, Android Lollipop is now on its way to LG G2 owners on its network. This news comes at roughly the same time as T-Mobile's own over-the-air rollout.
Leave no phone behind... that's certainly not any carrier's motto. T-Mobile at least does a better job than some others when it comes to long-term support. The LG G2 is getting a 617MB update to Lollipop today, just a week after the G3.
The benefit of buying a flagship, aside from solid specs, is the likelihood of continuing to receive updates after the predecessor has launched. Carriers and manufacturers generally try to keep you current just long enough to make it through a two-year contract without complaining. So now we're seeing the year and a half old LG G2 on Verizon Wireless updated to Android 5.0.
The G3 may be LG's favorite child at the moment, but the G2 remains a compelling piece of hardware. Anyone in the market for one would do well to take a glance over at eBay, where unlocked AT&T models with 32GB of storage are going for 9.99 with free shipping, and the only people who have to pay taxes are those living in California. These are new units discounted to a lower price than refurbished ones went for back in August.
Verizon Rolls Out Update To LG G2 With Advanced Calling 1.0 Improvements, LTE Data Roaming, And More
Verizon is sending out an update to the LG G2 with a number of tweaks and improvements, not all of which are new. Software build VS98027A mostly revolves around changes to Verizon's Advanced Calling 1.0 VoLTE system, but shares a number of features with VS98026A, which was a much more minor update.
The G3 is LG's current flagship phone, but Sprint is pushing out an over-the-air update that shows some love to 2013's model, the G2, instead. This special delivery will bring in a number of general enhancements that some users may be happy to see. HD Voice is seeing improvements, and there are some LTE-related changes as well. These are joined by a security patch fixing something that's unspecified in the change log. All of this flies in under software version ZVE.
Regular followers of the Android world know that manufacturers love to skin Google's mobile operating system for the sake of differentiation. As dramatic as Samsung and HTC can get, the Chinese OEMs sometimes take it even further, perhaps because Chinese users don't have official access to the Play Store and Google apps (making compatibility and certification less problematic). OPPO seems to be going even further than that: a new post on the company forum is recruiting testers for ColorOS on, of all things, the LG G2.
AT&T is rolling out a minor over-the-air firmware update to its version of the LG G2. The change log is pretty vague with this one, and most of the changes won't be anything people particularly notice. There's a security patch, which is generally something to be thankful for (though rooted users may disagree). There's an APN update, and the included music player app has seen some attention as well. The change log closes with "G Watch compatibility," something devices running Android 4.3 or higher should already have.
If you need a good unlocked phone on the cheap, you might be tempted to pick up a Moto G or a Nexus 5, but this deal on the LG G2 is something to consider. This device is unlocked with US GSM/LTE bands and 32GB of internal storage for just $240.
One of the features LG pushed hard with the announcement of the G3 was its Knock Code screen locking feature. While the device is asleep, you can tap on the screen in predefined locations to wake it and unlock instantly. Knock Code actually debuted on the G Pro 2, but now Sprint's G2 is getting it as well.
It seems like everyone is making smartphone screens more useful when they're off, and LG's attempt is called Knock Code. This feature lets you securely wake and unlock the device with a series of taps on the screen while the phone is asleep. No need to buy a new phone, though. Knock Code is rolling out the the AT&T LG G2 via an OTA update right now.
Verizon takes its time getting updates out to devices, but today is finally the big day for owners of the LG G2 on Big Red. The OTA (version VS98024A) has started rolling out to devices, but don't get too excited just yet – Verizon is pushing the update in phases.
Sprint LG G2 owners may not have too much longer to wait for Android 4.4.2 to arrive. Sprint has posted details on an upcoming OTA update, which should roll out in stages starting today. The version is ZVB, and it contains little aside from all the delicious goodies that come with KitKat. To clarify, the developers have also packed in a fix for an audio issue with the pre-installed NextRadio app. Yeah, all eyes are on Android 4.4.2 here.
LG's Knock Code Security Feature Will Land On The G2 And G Flex Starting In April
LG's Knock Code security feature is coming in April to the G2 and G Flex.
Easily the coolest part of LG's custom Android skin is KnockOn, a feature introduced with the G2 that allows users to knock on a sleeping phone to wake it up. Knock Code, a pattern-based alternative with a bit more security, was introduced with the G Pro 2 and other phones at Mobile World Congress. According to a new press release, LG will make good on its promise to expand this feature to other phones, starting with the G2 and G Flex in April.