LG Mobile Is Dead, But Its Weirdest Phone May Get Verizon C-Band Update Soon
LG Wing users may soon have reason to rejoice. An anonymous tipster tells us that his Verizon LG Wing just received an update to enable the carrier's new mid-band 5G network—even though LG Mobile has gone out of business.
Verizon confirms that the LG Wing C-band update is now in its testing labs, although the company says it hasn't been widely distributed yet. Our tipster may just have gotten a file that slipped through the cracks. When an update like this hits Verizon's labs, it's typically released within a few weeks, unless it has major bugs.
The C-band update is version F100VM20e, also known as System Update 11. Verizon's official support page for the Wing shows the most recent software update to be F100VM20d.
The LG Wing, released in late 2020, has a swiveling screen that turns the phone into a "T" shape as well as a virtual gimbal mode for ultra-stabilized videos. It got middling reviews because it's thick, heavy, and there are always software compatibility issues with odd form factors. But it was a wild swing of the kind that you don't see many of anymore.
LG backed out of the mobile phone market entirely in mid-2021. However, it did say it would keep supporting its phones, and it looks like it's living up to that promise.
The update enables faster speeds and the "5G UW" icon in areas where Verizon has mid-band 5G. In our testing, Verizon's mid-band 5G network is noticeably faster than Verizon's "nationwide 5G" system. Verizon says it currently covers more than 100 million people and will cover 175 million by the year's end.
We have a full list of Verizon C-Band phones. On Swappa, the Verizon-branded LG Wing is selling for $265-$309, which looks like a good deal if you are into weird phones.
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