Android Nougat, which was released to Nexus series last month, is expected to make its way to LG G5 and G4 series later this year. However, the former flagship phone, LG G3, is no longer eligible for the update.
As per Google's contract with OEMs (Original Equipment Manufacturer), devices will only get software update support for 18 months, although in some rare instances, it may be extended to 24 months.
That said, LG G4 owners will still be able to get the Nougat on their device through custom ROM. As of now, there is one such firmware for the 2014 flagship phone on XDA Developer Forum. It is based on AOSP (Android Open Source Project), which guarantees pure Android experience with no bloat-wares.
It brings all the features of the Nougat, such as night mode, bundled notification, improved battery optimisation, multi-window options and numerous other value-added features, to enhance user experience.
Also read: Android 7.0 Nougat released: 16 key upgrades of Google's new mobile OS update over Marshmallow
Caution: This software is an experimental version and contain some bugs in it, which might affect some functions of the device. Readers are advised to go through the whole article to weigh all the pros and cons, and then go ahead with the installation process.
What's working:
-Wi-Fi
-Audio
-Camera
-Bluetooth
-Vibrator
-H/W (Hardware decoder)
-MTP (Media Transfer Protocol)
What's broken:
-Camcorder
-RIL (Radio Interface Layer)
-Sensors
Prerequisites [Things to remember before installing Custom ROM]:
- This new AOSP Android v7.0 Nougat ROM has to be installed on LG G3 (D850) model only; if tried on other devices, it might brick them [To check your device model: Go to Settings >> About phone >> Model Number]
- Make sure the device is rooted (Bootloader unlocked) before going forward.
- Though installing custom ROM improves the device's performance and UI experiences, it makes the company warranty void and it will no longer be liable to provide updates in future [users can restore warranty by flashing the device with stock-ROM].
- Installation of custom ROM requires clearing of memory in the smartphone. So make sure you back up all the data by installing Clockwork Mod (CWM) Recovery/ TWRP.
- Make sure you have installed USB drivers on the PC, or else the device will not be recognised by the computer.
- Make sure your device has more than 80 percent battery, or else there is a chance of the smartphone getting temporarily bricked if the installation process is interrupted mid-way.
[Disclaimer: This procedure is very technical and should be performed by a person with sound knowledge of rooting (or manual software installation) Android devices. If the step-by-step installation process is not followed properly, there are chances of the smartphone getting bricked or being permanently irreparable. IBTimes India cannot be held responsible for any damage or claims from readers if the procedure does not yield the required results or if the smartphone is bricked. Hence, users are advised to proceed with caution.]
Tutorial: Step-by-step installation procedure of AOSP Android v7.0 Nougat ROM on LG G3 via TWRP recovery method:
Step 1: DownloadAOSP Android v7.0 Nougat ROM and Google Apps on to your PC.
[Note: Downloadable file links are provided at the bottom]
Step 2: Connect LG G3 to the computer
Step 3: Place the CyanogenMod Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow into the phone's storage memory.
[Note: Users are advised to paste the .zip file in the storage root folder, not in any other folder.]
Step 4: Turn off device and disconnect it from PC
Step 5: Perform Recovery mode sorties by long pressing Volume (Down) + Power buttons
Step 6: Once entering the TWRP settings menu, clear phone's memory (full) by selecting 'Wipe' option. Once done, select – 'Swipe to Factory Reset' perform factory reset
Step 7: Return to TWRP settings and tap 'Install' by selecting .Zip file in the phone's memory downloaded from PC
Step 8: Come back to TWRP menu setting to approve the installation by tapping 'Swipe to Confirm Flash'
Step 9: Flashing of the custom ROM begins and after a few minutes, a message 'Successful' appears on the screen, thus completing installation.
Step 10: If faced with boot loop problem, navigate back to TWRP settings, and select 'Wipe cache/dalvik'. This procedure will help resolve any issue with regard to custom ROM installation.
Downloadable files:
LG G3 AOSP Android v7.0 Nougat ROM: HERE/ HERE
Google Apps: HERE
USB driver: HERE
[XDA Developers Forum and bangprovn]
