LG v20 is supposed to have Google In Apps Shortcut - why not?

OK, so all of these articles indicate that I should be able to add a widget/shortcut for Google In Apps Search...

Yes, I know I can do the normal search, and then scroll all the way over to the right for "In Apps", but that is pretty ridiculous... Please tell me Verizon did not disable something so innocuous and wonderful as this???

Thanks!

Accepted answers

veryfrustrated0118

Look on LG's website for the device. When you click on Specs then go to the OS section there is fine print there that states: .Features and capabilities may vary by carrier.

It was discussed ad nauseum in this thread (FM radio disabled by Verizon on LG v20 - safety issue ) why there are features that the Verizon phone doesn't have. Mostly because they are buy in features and Verizon would have to jack up the price of the phone in order to have them.

VZW is not required by law to have all of the features on the phone. If you want a phone from a manufacturer that won't allow carriers to disable feature, buy an iPhone.

All comments

sll1313

You did a better job than I did. It took me forever to find it in the normal search. But that is the only way I found it, too. I really don't understand Verizon. It does look like they disabled this. It is my understanding that they also disabled the FM radio as well as Smart Setting. I'm not sure if there is any other things that they disabled. I thought it was great that we were able to get this phone cheaper than other providers. I now understand why. There version of the phone has several of their featuses disabled. It's a shame because I am very pleasantly surprised on how much I like the phone. I also don't understand why people are saying that they are getting average/poor battery life. Right now, I think it's great. I couldn't sleep yesterday and I went 20 hours with the moderate use of phone and still had 50% and another time the 19 hours with heavy use of phone and still had 20% left. Hopefully, they'll send an update out that will enable these features.

markp_vzw

jraines, I know the feeling of wanting to setup your phone the way you want it to be. Let me clarify. Currently the Google In Apps feature can be accessed the way that you’re aware of which is through the Google App and then scrolling over to the right.

MarkP_VZW

If my response answered your question please click the �Correct Answer� button under my response. This ensures others can benefit from our conversation. Thanks in advance for your help with this!!

sll1313

I'm confused. jraines already agreed with you, knowing that is 1 way to access it. However, there is supposed to be an app/shortcut. It's advertised all over the internet. Did Verizon disable this feature? Or is there something that we are supposed to do? Please answer the question. I would greatly appreciate it if you would not repeat just what was said. That doesn't help. An answer would be nice. If you don't know it, it would be great if you could find the correct answer. We paid good money for this phone and to keep finding items that are disabled that we were expecting to be on the phone is kind of like false advertisement. I'm happy I like this phone so far. Thank you for your help with this matter In advance.

jraines

Hi, MarkP_VZW!

This is not functioning as advertised.

And again, Verizon seems to be the only one that has disabled it.

Could you please find out how we can get this re-enabled?

SupraLB

I would like to know this answer too. The other carrier models of the LG V20 models include this "In Apps" shortcut feature that Google and LG touted as a key feature.

Why does Sprint, AT&T, and, Tmobile have this key feature, but Verizon disabled it?

Please let us know how we can have this shortcut added to our phones.

Thank you,

SupraLB

Anyone found out an answer to this yet?

veryfrustrated0118

Look on LG's website for the device. When you click on Specs then go to the OS section there is fine print there that states: .Features and capabilities may vary by carrier.

VZW is not required by law to have all of the features on the phone. If you want a phone from a manufacturer that won't allow carriers to disable feature, buy an iPhone.

SupraLB

The In Apps search shortcut is not an LG feature, although they do promote it.

Its a Google feature of Android 7.0 and included with Nougat software.

veryfrustrated0118

Then if it is a Google feature and Android being open source it is possible that LG decided to take it off. If you notice that Android does not look the same on all devices. This is because manufacturers can apply their skins. It looks like LG didn't want to include this feature in Nougat and wanted to have it be a feature that the carrier would need to pay for and VZW decided not to pay for it in turn not increasing the cost to the consumer.

SupraLB

I think you missed a few key points along the way here:

1. Google designed this feature for Nougat and included this with the software for all phones, including LG V20. Here is the announcement by Google: A new way to search for content in your apps

Also in this announcement page, you can see where Google also said this would be first included on the LG V20 (probably it was the first phone announced with 7.0 out of the box).

2. LG then announced the LG V20's would include this new feature in this press release here: http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/lg-v20-worlds-first-phone-to-showcase-googles-new-mode-to-search-in-your-apps-30…

3. AT&T, Sprint, Tmobile, and all unlocked LG V20s out there include this feature. Every single carrier of the LG V20. The only time its missing is if you buy from Verizon, because even the unlocked phones that work on Verizon have it.

My gut feeling is that whomever was loading the bloatware and standard Verizon apps for the homescreen, deleted the Google In Apps Search shortcut by mistake.

jraines

I don't think Mark is going to answer us...