Android security patches, where are for G5? (not SE version)

[washburn_it]

Since October 2016, when I upgraded my G5 (H850) to Nougat, I didn't receive Android updates anymore.
But several security updates (usually called "patches") were published for Android but I never got them.
Now that the roll-out of Nougat is available also for the SE version (that includes March security updates) I wonder if something is going to "arrive" also for the G5 "non-SE".
Nobody knows something about it?
Regards,

Roberto

 

[D13H4RD2L1V3]

Hey there.

OTA updates usually take time to arrive. However, LG does have a PC app called "LG Bridge", that can help with updates if your phone doesn't receive them via OTA.

 

[Bruno Slivar]

I have one update (nougat) and after that, 0 points. Ota or bridge

 

[mandoman28]

I have the AT&T G5 and I just got the March security update a few weeks ago.

 

[Ultraman1966]

I think the international versions (I have UK unbranded) are lagging behind because LG don't care about those sorts of customers. No idea but their current strategy in general seems self defeating such as omitting wireless charging/DAC on the European G6.

 

[washburn_it]

Yes it's a strange strategy the one adopted for european customers...anyway...I tried to check for updates through LG Bridge but there is nothing (unbranded G5).

 

[steveathome]

My H850 unlocked in the UK received it's last security update in October. No sign of Nougat. Tried LG bridge but says phone is up to date which it blatantly isn't.

 

[D13H4RD2L1V3]

That's not good.

You should definitely raise this to LG support.

I remember having something similar with the G4. It went for months without a security patch and then it just got 2.

 

[Ultraman1966]

That's not good.

You should definitely raise this to LG support.

I remember having something similar with the G4. It went for months without a security patch and then it just got 2.

I spent hours talking to LG UK support on web chat and we were going round in circles. They claim that they don't give security updates unless it is with a new android version and I pointed out their monthly security update commitment. Then they'll say that their tech team doesn't feel the need to update but I pointed out that US versions of G5 did get updates...to which they replied it is a different phone and then we're back to square one.
I eventually got it escalated to a phone call, the tech guy took my IMEI and said he'd check with the software team whether my phone was vulnerable to flaws since Nov2016.
Suffice to say I don't expect anything practical will come out of this.

 

[steveathome]

I have spoken to LG UK on more than one occasion. They are exceedingly vague and even said there have been no security updates since October. So I have no option but to wait and hope.

 

[Ultraman1966]

They didn't give me an option to save the chat log but it was infuriating. They basically haven't got a clue what's going on and don't intend to sort anything out. Sadly, LG is one of the huge conglomerate that doesn't have to care about customer service.

 

[D13H4RD2L1V3]

They didn't give me an option to save the chat log but it was infuriating. They basically haven't got a clue what's going on and don't intend to sort anything out. Sadly, LG is one of the huge conglomerate that doesn't have to care about customer service.

You should probably raise this issue to LG Global.

A lot of Android OEMs have more-or-less kept their promise of monthly updates, like Blackberry, Samsung and some others. The G5 was their mainstream flagship for 2016. It should be receiving monthly patches.

 

[Ultraman1966]

You should probably raise this issue to LG Global.

A lot of Android OEMs have more-or-less kept their promise of monthly updates, like Blackberry, Samsung and some others. The G5 was their mainstream flagship for 2016. It should be receiving monthly patches.

I was explicitly told that they were not aware of any security flaws that needed fixing since Nov patch. Please can you confirm if that is the case? I know what the answer is but I wanted another opinion.

 

[D13H4RD2L1V3]

I was explicitly told that they were not aware of any security flaws that needed fixing since Nov patch. Please can you confirm if that is the case? I know what the answer is but I wanted another opinion.

It's not a case of whether it needs to be fixed.

When a patch is released, you are obliged to ensure that your customers receive it as soon as possible to ensure that they can have extra peace of mind.

If LG maintains this attitude of "We'll probably patch it if it's serious enough", we need to talk. There's absolutely no good reason on why a European-unlocked G5 would not receive patches but an AT&T model would.

 

[Ry]

Is there an update available?

 

[D13H4RD2L1V3]

Is there an update available?

According to posters, even when using the LG Bridge software to manually download the full firmware, it says there is none.

 

[Ry]

According to posters, even when using the LG Bridge software to manually download the full firmware, it says there is none.

So are people looking for an OTA or update that doesn't exist? This isn't Nexus or Pixel so anything Google announces and releases doesn't automatically apply.

 

[D13H4RD2L1V3]

So are people looking for an OTA or update that doesn't exist? This isn't Nexus or Pixel so anything Google announces and releases doesn't automatically apply.

To reiterate what I've read from others, they have the H850 variant of the G5, the main unlocked version primarily designed for the EMEA market.

Their question is why their specific H850 variant of the G5 has not received updates since October while other variants of the G5, like US carrier models such as the H820 on AT&T and the H830 on T-Mobile US have received much more recent patches.

Usually, unlocked models receive patches at a quicker and more frequent rate due to the lack of the necessity for carrier certification. But in this case, it seems similar to the US unlocked Galaxy S7 until very recently.

 

[Ultraman1966]

You summed it up nicely. I don't get how it's possible for unbranded versions to have such delayed or no updates unless the network/carriers are paying extra for more software support.

 

[Ry]

To reiterate what I've read from others, they have the H850 variant of the G5, the main unlocked version primarily designed for the EMEA market.

Their question is why their specific H850 variant of the G5 has not received updates since October while other variants of the G5, like US carrier models such as the H820 on AT&T and the H830 on T-Mobile US have received much more recent patches.

Usually, unlocked models receive patches at a quicker and more frequent rate due to the lack of the necessity for carrier certification. But in this case, it seems similar to the US unlocked Galaxy S7 until very recently.

So using the LG tool wouldn't matter since the update does not exist anyway?