Server Version#: 1.40.5.8854
Player Version#: 5.87.1
Hey folks, recently I noticed that the LG webOS App Update is offering an update to the Plex app. When I click the Update button for the Plex app, it displays this dialog:
You need to log in to install or update Plex.
Do you want to log in?
[Yes] [No]
If I click No, it goes back to the App Update screen without installing the update. If I click Yes, it prompts me to create or log in with an LG account.
Strangely enough, if I launch the Plex app and check its version number, it’s 5.87.1, which appears to be the latest version of the app at the time that I’m posting this. So the Plex app appears to have already updated itself somehow even though the LG webOS App Update still thinks there’s an update that needs to be installed.
I don’t sign in to my LG TV with an LG account and would prefer not to do that just to install app updates. Does anyone know why the Plex app now requires that I be signed in with an LG account to install updates? Is there a way to get updates without having to sign in with an LG account?
Were you able to load the Plex app and other apps without signing into a LG account?
Can you install updates of other apps (YouTube TV, Netflix, etc.) without signing in to an LG account?
If yes to both, then unsure why LG wants you to sign in to update the Plex app or if there is a way to bypass the login requirement.
What is installed from the LG app store is not the full version of the Plex app. It is a bootloader that supports downloading the full version from the Internet. The version number of the bootloader will rarely, if ever, match the current version of the full app.
When you first launch the Plex app on the LG, it downloads the full version from a host at plex.tv. On subsequent launches, it checks for updates. If an update is available, it is automatically downloaded. The version displayed in the Plex app settings should match the latest version in the announcement thread.
Getting back to your original question, what the LG store is asking to install is a new version of the bootloader.
The current bootloader version on my LG B7 is 5.2.1 and it last updated on July 31 (displayed in LG app store).
I do not know the implications of running with an older version. You are still getting updates of the full app, but at some point you may need to update the bootloader.
My TV is signed in to an LG account, so unsure if it is possible to download updates from the LG store without an LG account.
Yeah, I’m able to launch the Plex app and other apps without signing in to an LG account. I’m also able to install updates for most other apps without signing in to an LG account. The only exception is the Peacock app - Lg webOS App Update wants me to sign in to install an update for Peacock just like the Plex app.
When I launch the Plex app now, it shows this dialog:
A new version of the app is available. Launch current version of app or update to latest version.
[Update] [Launch] [Cancel]
Looking at the LG webOS app store, it does list an e-mail address to contact Plex. Maybe I should reach out to Plex there to see if this is expected.
The app that is actually installed on the device loads the app from the internet, which is why you see 5.87.1 running, but the app version in the store is different.
Updating the installed app will allow the app itself to do more things in the future and future updates may require updates to unlock functionality in the app, but currently it’s not mandatory.
The requirement to be signed in to update (and presumably install on a new device) is a change on LG’s side we are not able to remove that requirement.
Thanks Markus, I appreciate the insight. It would be interesting to find out why updates for some other apps in App Update haven’t required me to sign in with an LG account. I’ll see if there’s a way to reach out to LG to find out.
