LG makes a surprising smartphone decision that'll affect all users

LG has announced that it is shutting down software upgrade services for its mobile phones. Not just some, but all of them.

If you’re still using an LG smartphone, it’s probably time to consider choosing from the great Android phones offered by other manufacturers.

The announcement was made via an LG support page, confirming that from 30 June 2025 the Mobile Phone Software Upgrade, Update Center and LG Bridge services will all be turned off. That means there will be no update services for any LG smartphone.

It also means that there will be no access to default apps that were on devices that you might have deleted – so if there’s anything you want, you’re advised to go get it now. After 30 June 2025, it won’t exist anymore.

The move draws a line under LG’s foray into phones, which at times was glorious. The company gave us some amazing devices during the feature phone era and surprised us in the smartphone era too.

It was the LG Chocolate, launched in 2006, that really caught the attention of customers, with a totally different approach to feature phone design and packaging. It was an experience and it stood out from Nokia which dominated at that time.

But it was the LG Arena that really outlined LG’s ambitions: it was a fully-fledged smartphone, launched in 2009 that used LG’s own platform. By this point the iPhone had launched and Android was just getting off the ground, so LG’s plans for its own platform didn’t take off.

In 2012, LG partnered with Google on the Google Nexus 4 and again on the Nexus 5 – but if there was one phone that really stood out, it was the LG G4. Clad in leather, it was a phone that really stood out from a design perspective.

In 2021, LG called time on its smartphone plans, leaving us with devices like the LG Wing and the latest iterations of the popular V series, the LG V60 ThinQ. The reason for leaving smartphones was said to be because it wasn’t profitable enough.

With competition from up-and-coming Chinese brands – and the market dominated by rivals Samsung – it’s perhaps understandable.

If you’re still hanging on to an LG phone, check for updates now, but beyond that, if you want the latest features and plenty of support, you’re probably better of buying a Samsung equivalent.