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The LG V50 ThinQ's Android 12 update starts rolling out to users
The LG V50 ThinQ has been updated. The Android 12 update is currently only rolling out to Verizon models but should hit other carriers soon.
It's hard to believe that it has been a little over a year since LG announced that it would be exiting the smartphone business. Despite its exit, the company has continued to support its devices, offering security and OS updates for some of its recent releases. If you're still using your LG V50 ThinQ, you'd be glad to know that the company is rolling out an Android 12 update to those in the United States.
Here are all the LG phones that will receive Android 12 and Android 13 updates
LG has shared a list of all phones that will receive Android 12 and Android 13 updates. The company's German arm has also shared an Android 11 roadmap.
After denying several rumors, LG finally announced its exit from the smartphone market earlier this month. This raised concern among many LG smartphone users regarding software support for their devices. To address these concerns, LG recently assured that it will continue to deliver three Android OS updates for all premium phones launched in 2019 and later. The company also promised to push two OS updates for all budget-friendly phones launched last year. LG has now shared an official list of devices that are eligible for the Android 12 and Android 13 updates.
Despite quitting phones, LG reassures customers it'll continue to deliver Android OS updates
LG has clarified its position on the software support to its existing smartphones. It will provide up to 3 OS updates to its premium phones.
After months of rumors, finally, the inevitable happened as LG officially declared itself out of the smartphone market for once and for all. While the smartphone community was busy mourning the loss of a key innovator, many existing LG phone owners were worried about what would happen to their smartphones. LG promised to provide service support and software updates for customers of existing mobile products for a period of time — and even hinted at the Android 12 update. Still, no exact details were shared at the time, like which devices will be eligible to receive the extended software support and for how long. To end the guessing game and reassure the existing customers, the company has now issued a much-needed clarification on its plans to support its smartphone portfolio.
Universal bootloader unlock method has been found for the LG G8, G8S, G8X, and V50 ThinQ
You can now unlock the bootloader of nearly every variants of the LG G8, G8X, G8S, and V50 ThinQ using this unofficial method. Read on!
Unlocking a bootloader, rooting a device, and flashing custom ROMs are popular hobbies here on XDA. Many users hold the ability to root in high regards, and almost find no interest in phones if they are not able to be bootloader unlocked. LG, however, has a storied history with regards to bootloader unlocking — namely, the Korean OEM prefers to allow only a handful of models to be unlocked by end-users (probably due to requirements from carriers). The modding community isn't happy with LG's stance, and now it seems that our impatient users found an unofficial bootloader unlock method that can be applied on nearly every variant of the LG G8 ThinQ, LG G8S ThinQ, LG G8X ThinQ, and the LG V50 ThinQ.
How to set up pairs of apps to launch on LG's Dual Screen phones
If you own an LG device that features Dual Screen support, there's a clever app that will allow you to build your own app pairings.
If you own an LG device that features Dual Screen support, we have the perfect app recommendation. Dual Launch for LG is a free app that allows users to launch pairs of apps at once.
Unofficial LineageOS 17.1 is now available for the LG V50 ThinQ, Moto G8, and Moto G8 Power
Unofficial ports of LineageOS 17.1 are available for the LG V50 ThinQ and Motorola's Moto G8 and Moto G8 Power. Here's how to install them.
If you own a Moto G8, Moto G8 Power, or LG V50 ThinQ and have been itching to try out a closer-to-stock version of Android 10, well, you now can. Unofficial ports of LineageOS 17.1 are available for all three devices.
The LG Velvet's new UI is coming to 6 other LG smartphones
LG has now announced that 6 older phones will be getting the updated UI that comes on the LG Velvet. The devices will get it in Korea first.
The LG Velvet is one of the company's most exciting devices in a while, and that largely revolves around the brand new design. While the hardware shows the most drastic change, LG has also refreshed its software for the Velvet. The company has now announced that 6 older smartphones will be getting the updated UI as well.
T-Mobile shuts down Sprint's legacy 5G network
As expected, T-Mobile is now shutting down Sprint's 5G network. T-Mobile started this process in April and some phones will lose out.
Sprint and T-Mobile continue to shift things around as part of their merger that went through earlier this year. As expected, T-Mobile is now shutting down Sprint's 5G network. T-Mobile started this process back in April and has been refarming Sprint's 2.5GHz spectrum to augment its own 5G network.
LG V50 ThinQ gets root on locked bootloader thanks to an exploit
Developers have figured out how to root the LG V50 ThinQ without unlocking the bootloader using a privilege escalation exploit, but there's a catch.
LG's bootloader unlocking policy is quite annoying as the company tends to whitelist only a handful of regional device variants to be unlocked via their official portal. The situation isn't always their fault, though, as U.S. carriers tend to make the decision to block bootloader unlocking. Take for example the LG V50 ThinQ—while you can unlock the bootloader of the European variant (LM-V500EM), you can't unlock the Sprint or the Verizon models. That makes rooting virtually impossible on these carriers models, but developers have recently made a breakthrough in this front. It is now possible to get a root shell, albeit temporary, on bootloader locked LG V50 ThinQ units.
Sprint's OnePlus 7 Pro, LG V50, and Galaxy S10 will lose 5G connectivity following T-Mobile merger
Unfortunately, the older Sprint 5G phones will not get access to T-Mobile's 5G network and they will eventually lose Sprint 5G as well.
With the T-Mobile/Sprint merger being finalized earlier this month, T-Mobile announced a number of updates for customers of both carriers. These updates are not part of the long-term plans that T-Mobile laid out, but they do offer some nice benefits for Sprint customers right away. However, it's not all good news as some Sprint customers will be losing 5G access.
Adobe Photoshop Express, Lightroom, and Camera Raw add lens correction profiles for the OnePlus 7T, Huawei Mate 30, and LG G8/V50S
Adobe has added lens correction camera profiles in Photoshop Express, Lightroom for RAW photos on OnePlus 7T, Huawei Mate 30/30 Pro, and LG G8/V50s ThinQ.
Smartphone cameras have witnessed several advancements over the years. Innovations like triple, quadruple, or even quintuple/penta camera arrangements, optical zoom in smartphone cameras, resolution up to 108MP, and most importantly affordable high-resolution 48MP and 64MP camera sensors have allowed many users to renounce or limit their usage of digital point-to-shoot or SLR cameras. For those who prefer taking and editing high-quality and color-accurate images on their phones, several OEMs now allow users to capture RAW quality images from the native Camera apps. Extending support for these users, Adobe has added lens correction profiles in Photoshop, Lightroom, and the Camera Raw plug-in for several Android smartphones including the OnePlus 7T, Huawei Mate 30/30 Pro, LG G8/V50S, etc.
Stable Android 10 begins rolling out to the LG V50 in Korea
The LG G8 received stable Android 10 last month, and now it's time for the LG V50 to do the same, starting with the model in Korea.
Back in November, LG started an Android 10 beta program for the LG V50. This was shortly after they rolled out the same program the LG G8. The LG G8 received stable Android 10 last month, and now it's time for the LG V50 to do the same. According to our own Max Weinbach, the Korean model just started getting the update.
[Update: Available for the V50 ThinQ] LG launches an Android 10 preview for the G8 ThinQ
LG has officially launched an Android 10 preview for the G8 ThinQ, with plans to release a similar preview for the V50 next month.
Early last month, Google finally released the stable version Android 10 for its Pixel devices. Essential followed suit and released the update for its own Essential Phone PH-1. Soon thereafter, OnePlus also released OxygenOS 10 based on Android 10 for the OnePlus 7 and the OnePlus 7 Pro. However, most other manufacturers weren't as prompt and just managed to released beta versions of their software for a handful of devices. A few Xiaomi devices received closed beta updates for MIUI 11 based on Android 10, Huawei started beta signups for the P30 and P30 Pro and, most recently, Samsung announced the One UI 2.0 beta for the Galaxy S10 series. Now, Korean manufacturer LG has also joined the ranks and has launched the Android 10 preview for its flagship LG G8 ThinQ.
LG V50 ThinQ Dual Screen Attachment Review: Amazing for a product that shouldn't exist
The LG V50 ThinQ is LG's first 5G smartphone, but it has another trick up its sleeve: It can turn into a pseudo-foldable with the Dual Screen attachment.
The LG V50 has been around for a little while now and while it's a good phone it does lack excitement. One of the few interesting things about the device, the Dual Screen attachment, wasn't even available in all regions. I jumped at the chance when I was given the opportunity to check out this interesting accessory. It allows you to turn the LG V50 into a dual-screen, pseudo-foldable phone. I've had the phone and accessory for a little while now, and the experience is really hard to describe. It's as though LG taped two phones together and made them work seamlessly.
[Update 2: LG V50S ThinQ] LG teases a follow up to the V50 and its dual screen attachment
LG published a teaser that indicates the follow up to the LG V50 will be revealed with a dual screen at IFA 2019 next month.
A little short of 6 months ago we watched as LG officially announced the LG V50 ThinQ smartphone. It is the company's first 5G smartphone and a leaked render revealed a partnership between LG and Sprint for the launch of the device. Overall, it was looked at as a revamped version of the LG V40 ThinQ with Qualcomm's Snapdragon 855 chipset and a 4,000mAh capacity battery. This week the company published a teaser for its successor which indicates that the follow up to the LG V50 will be revealed at IFA 2019 next month.
The European LG V50 ThinQ's bootloader can now be unlocked
LG now allows the European LG V50 ThinQ to be bootloader unlocked. With kernel source code availability, developers can now start porting TWRP.
Alongside the LG G8 ThinQ with its wacky gestures, LG unveiled the 5G LG V50 ThinQ at Mobile World Congress earlier this year. It's basically an LG V40 ThinQ but with the Qualcomm Snapdragon 855, Snapdragon X50 5G modem, and a larger 4,000mAh battery. The LG V50 is already available in the United States through Sprint and Verizon, but it's also available in the UK through EE. Two months ago, LG released the kernel source code for the Sprint model, but there's no hope for the bootloader being unlockable on that model due to carrier interference. That's not the case for the UK/European model, though.
Google Fi will support 5G thanks to Sprint's network
Sprint and Google announced Monday that Google Fi will gain 5G support in select markets through Sprint's network beginning in the first half of 2019.
If you use Google Fi you won't have to worry about missing the 5G revolution, provided you can afford the hardware and live in the right city. Google and Sprint announced Monday that Sprint will bring 5G to Google's signature Fi MVNO in the first half of 2019. Since Google Fi recently expanded its support to a much wider variety of devices, it shouldn't take too long to find a compatible phone to take advantage of Fi(veG).
Hands-on with the LG V50's Dual Screen attachment: LG's answer to the foldable phone craze
The LG V50 ThinQ is LG's first 5G smartphone. While it's no foldable phone, it has a Dual Screen attachment accessory that adds a second screen to it.
With Huawei and Samsung both offering up OLED displays that can fold in half, LG has taken a different approach. Remember the Nintendo DS? It was a great gaming handheld, and LG has seemingly replicated its hinged display with an add-on for the newly announced LG V50 ThinQ. It's effectively a case that you drop the LG V50 into, with a second AMOLED 1080p display coming out of it that runs off of the device's battery. The idea is that you can push content to the second display for multi-tasking, group calling, or vlogging so that you can see yourself on the display.
The LG V50 ThinQ is a revamped V40 with the Qualcomm Snapdragon 855, a 4000mAh battery, and 5G
LG has announced the LG V50 ThinQ with the Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 and 5G connectivity. The V50 is an upgraded LG V40 ThinQ with the same 5 cameras.
Not to let Samsung hog all the attention, LG has announced its first smartphone with support for 5G connectivity at Mobile World Congress 2019. Rather than spinning off a new brand, LG will release its 5G smartphone as the LG V50 ThinQ.