What you need to know
- LG has begun rolling out the Android 11 update to the LG Wing.
- The update arrives just as manufacturers start pushing Android 12 to their devices.
- The Wing was LG's last major smartphone launch before exiting the smartphone industry.
Owners of the LG Wing can rejoice, as the company has begun pushing out the Android 11 update, proving that LG has not forgotten about its fans... yet.
The update should include many of the Android 11 goodies we're familiar with, such as conversation bubbles and a few other changes that are likely specific to the Wing:
- Conversation bubbles: notify you of a new message via a floating bubble
- Wireless Emergency Alert: changed from LG APK to Google APK in R-OS
- Tap&Pay: Tap&pay moves under Settings Connected devices NFC. Tap&pay will be shown when NFC is on, and disappears when it is off.
- Mobile Hotspot: Removed Manage connections and 802.11 mode menu.
The update may seem a bit late compared to some of the best Android phones already receiving Android 12, but promptness was never LG's strong suit. And now that it's no longer involved in the mobile industry, smartphones are likely not high on LG's priorities.
That said, the company did promise "up to three iterations of Android operating system updates" for smartphones released in 2019 and after. That means the LG Wing should receive Android 13 when that becomes available, along with the LG Velvet and LG V60, both of which received Android 11 earlier this year.
The update has appeared on our Verizon LG Wing as part of Software update 8, although the changelog doesn't appear to be live on Verizon's support page just yet. There don't seem to be any apparent changes to report, although the device does appear to perform better. For instance, the transition from the standard mode to the swivel orientation feels much quicker and smoother, although we'll have to play around with it more.
If you're still rocking LG's last flagship smartphone, you can check for the update by navigating to Settings > System updates > Check for new system update. While we've noticed it on our Verizon unit, it may not be long for it to reach other carriers and regions as well. Now comes the wait for Android 12.
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