Skip to main content

Fix available for Lenovo Smart Displays stuck in boot loop after failed update

Lenovo Smart Display Table
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Google is releasing a fix for Lenovo Smart Displays after a recent update caused some displays to get stuck in a continuous boot loop. The issue appears to be affecting new devices right out of the box — on initial bootup, it will attempt to download any available updates, including the update causing the boot loop on some devices.

Reports first surfaced in a thread on Lenovo’s support website beginning in mid-August. The issue causes the display to suddenly stop around 45% into the update, reboot, and then attempt to install the update again. Each time the update hits 45%, however, the issue repeats itself.

Recommended Videos

Some users have had success in getting the device to exit the loop by resetting the Smart Display using the Home app without changing default settings. But that fix limits the usability of the device, frustrating users. Either way, Lenovo acknowledged the issue this week, stating Google made it “a top priority.”

“For the time being, the only course of action is to wait for the team to roll out a fix. I apologize [for] the inconvenience and hope that this is sorted out as soon as possible,” a Lenovo support employee posted on Monday. Late Tuesday, Google made good on its promise and pushed an update to all Smart Displays. Device owners should have already received or will receive the update the next time they power their display on.

“Please note that your devices will now be receiving a software update, no additional actions required from you guys, as it will install automatically,” the employee said. “Please make sure your device is plugged in so that you can receive the update.” Neither Lenovo nor Google specified what was behind the issue.

Lenovo’s Smart Display was one of the first non-Google virtual assistants to appear on the market with a dedicated display. The device was part of a larger effort by Google to allow third parties to build devices based on the Google Assistant platform. To date, Lenovo, JBL, and LG have launched their third-party displays, with Lenovo’s Smart Display one of the best reviewed.

Ed Oswald
For fifteen years, Ed has written about the latest and greatest in gadgets and technology trends. At Digital Trends, he's…
Bluesky finally adds a feature many had been waiting for
A blue sky with clouds.

Bluesky has been making a lot of progress in recent months by simplifying the process to sign up while at the same time rolling out a steady stream of new features.

As part of those continuing efforts, the social media app has just announced that users can now send direct messages (DMs).

Read more
Reddit just achieved something for the first time in its 20-year history
The Reddit logo.

Reddit’s on a roll. The social media platform has just turned a profit for the first time in its 20-year history, and now boasts a record 97.2 million daily active users, marking a year-over-year increase of 47%. A few times during the quarter, the figure topped 100 million, which Reddit CEO and co-founder Steve Huffman said in a letter to shareholders had been a “long-standing milestone” for the site.

The company, which went public in March, announced the news in its third-quarter earnings results on Tuesday.

Read more
Worried about the TikTok ban? This is how it might look on your phone
TikTok splash screen on an Android phone.

The US Supreme Court has decided to uphold a law that would see TikTok banned in the country on January 19. Now, the platform has issued an official statement, confirming that it will indeed shut down unless it gets some emergency relief from the outgoing president.

“Unless the Biden Administration immediately provides a definitive statement to satisfy the most critical service providers assuring non-enforcement, unfortunately TikTok will be forced to go dark on January 19,” said the company soon after the court’s verdict.
So, what does going dark mean?
So, far, there is no official statement on what exactly TikTok means by “going dark.” There is a lot of speculation out there on how exactly the app or website will look once TikTok shutters in the US.

Read more