Google to End Software Updates for Older Smart Displays From Lenovo, LG, JBL

Bad news for smart display buyers: Google is halting software updates for several third-party models, including those from Lenovo, LG, and JBL.

The company quietly announced the change in a support document for Duo, Google’s video calling app for the smart display devices.

"Important: Google no longer provides software updates for these third-party Smart Displays: Lenovo Smart Display (7", 8" & 10"), JBL Link View, and LG Xboom AI ThinQ WK9 Smart Display,” the company wrote in the support document, which 9To5Google first noticed.

JBL Link View

Google didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment, so it's unclear why the company is discontinuing the software updates. But all the affected products came out in 2018, so keeping them updated may not be worth the work. Also this month, Google said it would drop support for its Nest Secure and Dropcam next year for that exact reason.

For now, Google’s support document merely warns that the end of the software updates “could impact the quality of video calls and meetings.” Hence, the products should still work, but the experience may degrade over time.

Still, the news has prompted some consumers to say they'll steer clear of Google smart home devices in the future for fear the company will eventually plug the plug on software support. “I'm pretty sad I put so much money into this ecosystem,” wrote one customer on Reddit.

Lenovo, LG, and JBL didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment. But Google’s support document made no mention of the Lenovo Smart Clock, which was first introduced in 2019. So some older smart displays should continue receiving software updates for now.

About Our Expert

Michael Kan

Principal Reporter

My Experience

I've been a journalist for over 15 years. I got my start as a schools and cities reporter in Kansas City and joined PCMag in 2017, where I cover satellite internet services, cybersecurity, PC hardware, and more. I'm currently based in San Francisco, but previously spent over five years in China, covering the country's technology sector.

Since 2020, I've covered the launch and explosive growth of SpaceX's Starlink satellite internet service, writing 600+ stories on availability and feature launches, but also the regulatory battles over the expansion of satellite constellations, fights with rival providers like AST SpaceMobile and Amazon, and the effort to expand into satellite-based mobile service. I've combed through FCC filings for the latest news and driven to remote corners of California to test Starlink's cellular service.

I also cover cyber threats, from ransomware gangs to the emergence of AI-based malware. In 2024 and 2025, the FTC forced Avast to pay consumers $16.5 million for secretly harvesting and selling their personal information to third-party clients, as revealed in my joint investigation with Motherboard.

I also cover the PC graphics card market. Pandemic-era shortages led me to camp out in front of a Best Buy to get an RTX 3000. I'm now following how the AI-driven memory shortage is impacting the entire consumer electronics market. I'm always eager to learn more, so please jump in the comments with feedback and send me tips.

The Best Tech I've Had:

My first video game console: a Nintendo Famicom
I loved my Sega Saturn despite PlayStation's popularity.
The iPod Video I received as a gift in college
Xbox 360 FTW
The Galaxy Nexus was the first smartphone I was proud to own.
The PC desktop I built in 2013, which still works to this day.

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