LG opens Android upgrade center to prevent any more bootloop problems

LG fans, we've got great news: the company has opened a new 'Global Software Upgrade Center' for your smartphone.

The move will mean two things, according to the brand: faster Android upgrades for your handset, and a more stable and usable experience whenever said updates have been deployed.

The great news is that, despite being located in South Korea, the division will be tasked with making sure that Android upgrades are being delivered globally, which should see the end of hearing that Poland, Japan or the US are getting the update first while the rest of the world waits months.

These updates still won't be rolled out globally at the same time though, as the LG G6 Android Oreo upgrade is coming later this month to Korea and then will be rolled out to the rest of the world, but it should speed the process up.

More important to LG is this post-deployment testing: the company was rocked hard by lawsuits over an LG G4 bootloop issue, where the phone would get caught trying to turn on - essentially bricking the phone.

The now-settled lawsuit against LG saw owners of the LG G4, LG G5, LG V10, LG V20 and LG Nexus 5X receiving either $425 in cash, or a $700 credit toward a future LG-made smartphone - something the brand is clearly trying to avoid by opening a new division specifically to solve this.

And with the new LG G7 ThinQ on the horizon, the brand is clearly trying to convince those users to spend the money on the latest handset.

Do it better, do it faster

Users will be hoping that the announcement means that not only will software be delivered in a more timely fashion, but more smartphones will be given Android upgrades for longer in their lifespan, thus making LG phones known for longevity.

Of course, just deploying the update doesn't mean you'll still get it as quickly as you'd like - in many countries, the software upgrades have to go through carrier testing, which can slow down the process even further.

Google has been attempting to get Android upgrades out there faster for years, in a bid to stop Apple crowing about how many of its users are on the latest software while Android users are often using years-old versions.

It's good that LG is committing to even faster upgrades to Android - something a lot of brands are promising - so let's see if it puts the brand at the front of the pack for those that love the shiniest version of Google's OS (but, you know, don't want a Pixel phone...)

Gareth Beavis
Formerly Global Editor in Chief

Gareth has been part of the consumer technology world in a career spanning three decades. He started life as a staff writer on the fledgling TechRadar, and has grown with the site (primarily as phones, tablets and wearables editor) until becoming Global Editor in Chief in 2018. Gareth has written over 4,000 articles for TechRadar, has contributed expert insight to a number of other publications, chaired panels on zeitgeist technologies, presented at the Gadget Show Live as well as representing the brand on TV and radio for multiple channels including Sky, BBC, ITV and Al-Jazeera. Passionate about fitness, he can bore anyone rigid about stress management, sleep tracking, heart rate variance as well as bemoaning something about the latest iPhone, Galaxy or OLED TV.