- Some pixel 6a units will soon have a much worse battery performance
- Affected users can claim a free battery replacement or can obtain cash
- Other pixels models could be the following in the line
In general, software updates bring new desirable functions or error corrections, but an upcoming Google Pixel 6A update could get your phone worse.
Google has announced that it will implement a mandatory update of some Pixel 6A models, which “will reduce the battery capacity and load performance” after the phone reaches the 400 load cycles. So, if your phone is not yet in 400 load cycles, these changes will not begin, even once you download the update.
However, there are good reasons for these changes, since Google states that this “will reduce the risk of overheating potential batteries that could represent a risk for users”, and we know how it can be developed, since there have been multiple reports of Pixel 6a units that caught fire.
Even so, a battery that is slower and needs to be charged more frequently than before will not be exactly desirable for users.
This update will begin to be implemented on July 8 as part of Android 16, so at least you will get some Android 16 treats to accompany its battery reduction.
Interestingly, only some Pixel 6A units will obtain these new ‘characteristics’ of battery management. It is not clear why it is like this: maybe Google used different batteries in some versions of the phone, but to see if yours is affected, you can go to this support page.
If so, then you will have some options that are not simply supporting a battery reduction.
On the one hand, if you are in the United Kingdom, in the USA or select other locations, Google will allow you to obtain a battery replacement. Alternatively, it may be able to claim a discount of a new pixel or cash payment, although the exact amount of cash/discount and availability of these options has not yet been revealed.
It is not the first and maybe not the last
Occoriously, 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 some Pixel 4A models in January, so that is enough to think that more models could endure this in the future.
But that is not the only reason to think that this could also be applied to other models, since Android Authority has also found evidence in a disassembly of the application of Google configuration services that the devices with poor battery health will be forced to use the company’s battery assistance function of the company’s battery, which reduces the ability and load of the battery as the batteries grow old.
This feature is until now optional, apart from the case of Google Pixel 9A, which has it permanently enabled.
The only silver lining for all this, apart from these changes minimizing the risk of your phone setting fire, is that at least in the case of Pixel 6A and Pixel 4A, these mandatory battery updates have only been applied to selected units.
Therefore, it is possible that your phone has a less problematic battery than these changes will never need, but this rather makes it sound as if Google would like to change some of its battery suppliers.
