South Korean OEM, LG, is one of the largest smartphone manufacturers in the business. From cost-effective smartphones to devices that burn a hole in your pocket, the company offers a host of options, making sure you find a phone that suits your needs.
Spec-wise, we can’t possibly have much to complain about, as the company knows just how to please its fanbase. However, scootch over to the software update section, and the tale takes quite a dramatic turn. LG has never had a problem delivering feature-rich smartphones, but when it comes to developing and polishing major Android OS updates, the company has a lot of catching up to do.
LG has its fair share of quirks, but the company doesn’t take criticism lightly. So, with Android 10, the company is determined to turn over a new leaf.
The company has been working on bringing Google’s latest OS, Android 10, for a while now, and the progress they have made is certainly encouraging.
Android 10 leaks for V50 and G8
LG G8 UX 9.1
LG’s latest flagship, the G8 ThinQ was part of the Android 10 beta program, which has helped the company see the latest Google OS up close and personal. As we all know, LG runs a custom skin on top of Google’s Android, which, arguably, enhances the overall Android experience for users. This year, LG’s bringing Android 10-based UX 9.1 to supported devices, claiming it to be the firm’s most polished Android implementation yet.
The company is yet to announce an official rollout date, but we have already gotten a couple of leaks. Carrying software versions V17q and V18a, the Android 10 beta has leaked for the LG G8 ThinQ and V50 ThinQ, respectively. The screenshots show a bunch of visual tweaks that are easily reminiscent of Samsung’s One UI as well as the inclusion of the highly-anticipated dark theme.
Android 10 Beta release is close
If the leaks are anything to go by, we probably won’t have to wait long for the Android 10 beta. Given that the UX 9.1 update (Android 10) is already in the wild for as many two LG devices, the update should be nearing at least the beta rollout level stability very soon.
The gesture navigation bar hasn’t been perfected yet, but that won’t be a deal-breaker for most considering how cumbersome Android 10’s navigation system is. Still, as its one of the cornerstones of Android this year, we don’t think LG would roll out the first beta without taking care of the problem. Apart from gesture navigation, neither of the two users reported any major bugs, so the beta, for all intents and purposes, looks stable and ready (well, almost) for public release.
RELATED: When will LG release Android 10
But it’s just Korean market so far!
As it’s almost always the case with LG, the leaks originated from Korea. We have seen in the past that while LG is able to roll out an OS update in Korea on a timely basis, it’s outside its home country where it sucks. You don’t need to look further than 4 days ago when Verizon’s V30 got the Android 9 Pie update, over 13 months since Google released it, and some 45 days after its rollout in Europe. That’s a huge delay!
One Major Problem: Delayed rollout in Europe and the US
As mentioned earlier, both leaks were reported from Korea, so, it’s quite evident that LG will launch its Android 10 beta program in its home country before any other region. No other user, from any other region, has reported the Android 10 beta so far, so, it’s safe to say that users who don’t reside in Korea would have to wait for a considerable time before getting their hands on the beta.
Last year, LG rolled out the Android Pie beta in Korea ahead of other countries and forced users in the US, Europe, and Asia to wait for around 4/5 weeks for the same update.
Hope this time?
Thanks to Google’s generous Android beta program, many manufacturers got the opportunity to take the newest OS for a spin before the official rollout. OnePlus 7 Pro has already got an Android 10 Open Beta update to boot, and even the Galaxy S10 and Note 10 sets look set to receive the Android 10 update by month’s end.
LG only had the G8 ThinQ in the Android Q beta program, but we believe even that single entrant could expedite the rollout process.
LG got a lot of flack last year for the rollout delay in regions other than Korea. This year, the company already seems to be pretty ahead of schedule and looks prepared to push the update in Korea before the month runs out.
Guessing the rollout date for other regions is almost an impossible task, but if the company wishes to improve upon its last year performance, they must aim to roll out the first beta by the end of 2019.
Related:
- What are the best features in Android 10
- Android 10 alternatives: LineageOS 17 | Android 10 GSI
