- Some 6a pixel units will soon have very worse battery performance
- Users concerned can require free battery replacement or can be in cash
- Other pixel models could be following online
Usually, software updates provide new features or desirable bug corrections, but a next Google Pixel 6A update could actually make your phone worse.
Google has announced that it would deploy a compulsory update of certain Pixel 6A models, which “will reduce battery capacity and load performance” after the phone reaches 400 charging cycles. So, if your phone is not yet 400 charging cycles, these changes will not yet have come into play, even once you have downloaded the update.
There are, however, good reasons for these changes, Google indicating that this “will reduce the risk of potential drums overheating which could present a risk for users” – and we know how it can be played, because there have been several reports of Pixel 6A units to set fire.
However, a battery that invoices more slowly and must be billed more often than before will not be really desirable for users.
This update will start to take place on July 8 as part of Android 16 – so at least you will get Android 16 goodies to go with the degradation of your battery.
Interestingly, however, only certain Pixel 6A units will obtain these new “features” of battery management. We do not know why – maybe Google used different batteries in certain versions of the phone, but to see if yours is assigned, you can go to this assistance page.
If this is the case, you will have other options than simply put in place a battery degradation.
On the one hand, if you are in the United Kingdom, in the United States or select other locations, Google will allow you to replace a load-free battery. Alternatively, you may be able to claim a discount on a new pixel or a cash payment – although the exact cash / reduction amount and the availability of these options has not yet been disclosed.
Not the first and maybe not the last
Worried, the Google Pixel 6a may not be the last device to obtain this battery weakening update. It was not the first, with Google applying an update similar to certain Pixel 4A models in January, so that’s a sufficient reason to think that more models could endure this in the future.
But this is not the only reason to think that this could also apply to other models, because Android Authority has also found evidence in a disassembly of the Google parameter services application that the devices with poor battery health will be forced to use the company’s health assistance function, which reduces the capacity and load speeds as the batteries were aged.
This feature is so far optional, other than in the case of the Google Pixel 9a, which has activated it permanently.
The only silver lining to all of this – apart from these changes minimizing the risk of taking fire from your phone – is that at least in the case of 6A pixels and pixel 4A, these compulsory battery updates were only applied to selected units.
It is therefore possible that your phone has a less embarrassing battery that will never need these changes, but that gives rather that Google might want to change some of its battery suppliers.