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LG G4 malfunctions

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The LG G4 Android smartphone, developed by LG Electronics as part of the LG G series, was released in April 2015.

Shortly after its release, issues were found that made the device unstable or inoperable, resulting in data loss. LG released a series of forced updates, which were automatically installed without the user's consent.[1]

Issues

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Touchscreen

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In 2015, it was identified that the G4 was experiencing touchscreen issues, leading to the device becoming unresponsive or restarting.[2] LG released several patches to address the issue, though some had to be pulled due to causing more problems for the device. By November 2015, LG released a series of software updates to address the issue.[3][4]

Boot looping

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From around September 2015, users reported an issue with the device where it would continuously cycle between booting and restarting, rendering it inoperable (known as a "boot loop").[5] Initially appearing to affect only a small number of devices, the issue quickly spread, and by the end of 2015, it was apparent that it could afflict almost any model.

Users either complained that the devices were not receiving appropriate repairs or called on LG to acknowledge a major fault with the devices. In some cases, users launched online petitions calling on LG to address their concerns.[6]

In January 2016, LG acknowledged the hardware issue causing the boot loop and announced that they would repair or replace affected devices.[7] LG did not offer assistance with data recovery from affected devices.

It was identified that the fault was caused by detached solder joints between components, resulting in the loss of user data and complete interoperability issues with the affected devices.

Other issues

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Other problems included:

  • Charging port death[citation needed]
  • Speaker function damage[citation needed]
  • Touchscreen not turning on with tap-to-wake, random LED-blinking notifications despite no new messages, and keyboard glitches, among other issues.[4]

Class-action lawsuit

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LG settled one class-action lawsuit in the USA related to boot-loop issues, offering affected device owners either $425 in cash or $700 in store credit toward an alternative LG device.[8]

References

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  1. Arce, Nicole (10 Jun 2015). "AT&T LG G4 Users Complain Of Automatic Update: What's Happening?". Tech Times. Archived from the original on 12 Jun 2015. Retrieved 11 Jul 2025.
  2. Pratap, Ketan (17 Jun 2015). "Some LG G4 Users Reporting Touchscreen Issues; LG Says It's Investigating". Gadgets 360. Archived from the original on 1 Oct 2022. Retrieved 11 Jul 2025.
  3. Passary, Anu (6 Jun 2015). "LG Outs Fix For LG G4 Touchscreen Issues". Tech Times. Archived from the original on 23 Jun 2015. Retrieved 11 Jul 2025.
  4. 4.0 4.1 Gunther, Cory (25 Nov 2015). "LG G4 Touchscreen Problems Fixed in New Update". Gotta Be Mobile. Archived from the original on 5 Mar 2017. Retrieved 11 Jul 2025.
  5. Williams, Andrew (12 Apr 2018). "LG G4 Bootloop Problem: Global Software Upgrade Centre the final fix?". Trusted Reviews. Archived from the original on 4 Jun 2018. Retrieved 11 Jul 2025.
  6. Archila, Santiago (2016). "Launch a replacement program for defective LG G4s". change.org. Archived from the original on 16 Oct 2016. Retrieved 11 Jul 2025.
  7. Carlon, Kris (26 Jan 2016). "LG admits G4 bootloop problem is a hardware fault, will repair affected devices". Android Authority. Archived from the original on 27 Jan 2016. Retrieved 11 Jul 2025.
  8. Gartenberg, Chaim (31 Jan 2018). "LG settles bootloop lawsuit with $425 in cash or a $700 rebate toward a new LG phone". The Verge. Archived from the original on 1 Feb 2018. Retrieved 11 Jul 2025.