Legacy Phone Desk: Buffalo NY
Straight talk first: LG stopped making phones in 2021 and is never coming back. Every LG handset for sale today is used or refurbished stock with no security updates. This guide covers when those deals still make sense and where loyal LG owners should take their next upgrade.
Updated July 2026 · Refurb deals from about $129 · Editors rating 4.5 / 5
LG shuttered its mobile division in April 2021 after years of losses, redirecting the company toward appliances, TVs, and automotive electronics. The phones themselves did not vanish. Millions are still in circulation, and refurbished units flow through Amazon daily at prices that look tempting.
What did vanish is support. Software updates wound down generation by generation and have now stopped across the board. That means no new Android versions, no security patches, and no fixes when an app update breaks something. Apps mostly still install and run, but each passing year tightens compatibility, and app developers owe abandoned hardware nothing.
Around Buffalo this plays out predictably. We still spot V60s and Velvets at used electronics counters in Tonawanda, usually priced with more optimism than sense. Before buying any of them, run the numbers against a new budget phone, because the crossover point arrives fast.
These earn a purchase only as secondary devices, and only at the right price.
The audiophile relic. Its 32 bit quad DAC drives wired headphones with a warmth no modern phone matches, and the headphone jack, microSD slot, and huge battery complete a package built for listening. Under 150 dollars it is a lovely dedicated music player. It should not hold your bank app.
Wired headphone devotees who want a pocket hi-fi rig without touching their daily phone.
DAC: 32 bit quad · Jack: 3.5mm · Battery: 5,000mAh
The swiveling curiosity. Its rotating second screen made it an instant collectible, and working units keep appreciating in enthusiast circles. Buy it as a conversation piece or a creator gimbal substitute, not as a phone you depend on. Mechanical parts plus no parts supply equals real risk.
Screens: 6.8 in + 3.9 in swivel · Status: collectible · Risk: moving parts
The pretty one. Slim glass body, clean 6.8 inch OLED, decent everyday speed even now. It is the most normal phone of the three, which ironically makes it the least justifiable, because a new Moto G outruns it in every category that matters for daily use.
Display: 6.8 in OLED · Jack: 3.5mm · Verdict: backup only
LG people liked specific things: headphone jacks, microSD slots, manual camera controls, and software that stayed out of the way. The closest living relative on all four counts is Motorola. The Moto G family keeps the jack and card slot at 200 to 400 dollars, with near stock Android on top.
Camera tinkerers who loved LG manual mode should look at the Pixel line, which trades manual sliders for computational results that beat what patience used to earn. Big screen loyalists from the V series will find the Galaxy S25 family familiar, and anyone finally leaving Android can start with the iPhone 14 value guide. Whatever you choose gets six or seven years of updates, which is the single biggest upgrade over staying put.
Compare remaining LG stock against new budget phones with active support in one search.
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| Phone | Typical Price | Security Updates | Headphone Jack | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| LG Velvet (refurb) | $129 | Ended | Yes | Backup only |
| LG V60 (refurb) | $149 | Ended | Yes | Music rig |
| LG Wing (refurb) | $179 | Ended | No | Collectible |
| Moto G (new) | $199 | Active | Yes | Daily driver |
| Pixel 9a (new) | $449 | 7 years | No | Camera upgrade |
LG lost money on mobile for six straight years and closed the division in April 2021 to focus on appliances, TVs, and vehicle components. Existing phones kept working and LG honored update promises for a period, but no new LG phone has shipped since.
They power on and run most apps, but OS and security updates have ended for every model. Banking, email, and anything holding sensitive data belongs on a currently patched phone. As a backup handset, dedicated music player, or kids camera, an LG remains perfectly serviceable.
Motorola is the most natural landing spot: near stock software, and Moto G models keep the headphone jack and microSD slot LG fans love. Samsung Galaxy covers the premium end, and Pixel takes the camera crown. All three sell unlocked on Amazon with long update pledges.
Only under 150 dollars. The V60 quad DAC and headphone jack still have a genuine audience, and at that price it makes a fine second device for wired listening. Past that number, a new Moto G or a used Pixel with active security patches serves you better.
Either way, compare the remaining LG stock against phones with a future before spending a dime.
As an Amazon Associate, AldoMedia.Biz earns from qualifying purchases.
