Verizon’s System Update 10 for LG Velvet does not say much about Android 12 as expected, but it does highlight the improvements that the release brings. A lot of updates revolve around the more powerful privacy features that Google has implemented on the platform, as well as its solution to the somewhat controversial smart home controls in the on / off button menu. LG hid its “IoT Device Controls” behind a button in the notification panel, and let the power button work as it did before.
However, it may have been a sign that LG’s custom Android skin, which it simply calls the LG UX, would not adhere to the new design language that Android 12 brought. In fact, Material you are noticeably absent in this update. This more customizable feature is one of the big selling points that Google made when it launched Android 12, so it’s disappointing to see the update arrive with a skin that is smaller than vanilla. With that said, many manufacturers, especially Samsung, are setting this trend, so it’s not so surprising to see LG follow suit. After all, the company may not have enough resources to implement Material You on its LG UX without introducing bugs that in turn would mean more work for the few developers the company has left.