LG’s bootloop legal troubles may have finally come to a conclusion, with LG agreeing to make amends to device owners who were affected by the notorious bug that rendered many devices inoperable.
The infamous bootloop befell many of LG’s premium handsets, with devices becoming stuck in a never-ending cycle that initiated on a reboot and continuous loop through the start-up process, hence the name “bootloop.” There were reports that owners of multiple LG-built phones had been affected by the bug, with the LG G4, G5, V10, and V20 being among the group of flagship phones that were susceptible to the bug. The LG-made Google Nexus 5X was also liable to catching the bootloop-sniffles, and getting caught in a bootloop would often mean the end of your device, as there seemed to be no way to fix it as the part that was needed to fix the phone had been previously discontinued and could not be sourced.
Despite LG offering to refund owners who brought certain complaints, the continued issue obviously didn’t sit well with consumers, who weren’t fans of using their multiple-hundred dollar phone as a paperweight, and a class action lawsuit was filed in March 2017 on behalf of affected LG G4 and V10 owners. This was later amended the following April to also include the G5, V20, and Nexus 5X.
That lawsuit has finally ended with a generous settlement for anyone who signed up to be a part of the action, with LG agreeing to pay out either $425 in cash, or a $700 rebate toward the cost of a new LG device. The rebate is obviously more generous, but despite the lack of the bootloop in more recent LG phones, you have to wonder how many of the affected consumers will be able to trust an LG-built device again, even if the latest models are pretty good.
Only consumers who joined the lawsuit before it was settled will be able to claim the refund or rebate, and will be contacted before February 12. If you’re experiencing a bootloop on any of the affected phones and didn’t join the lawsuit, then you may be out of luck — though it’s possible that LG may extend a similar deal if you contact support with details.