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Pixel 6a owners may soon see their devices limited in terms of battery life, as code shows that Google is preparing to “reduce” the battery to avoid “a potential overheating” issue.
Earlier this year, Google rolled out an update to Pixel 4a that effectively made device useless. Battery life was cut to the point where the device needed to be charged after as little as a couple of hours. Google offered battery replacements to many, but the issue at hand was never fully confirmed, though it was seemingly to avoid an overheating issue that could leave devices catching fire.
Now, we’re getting a repeat as Google is apparently preparing similar measures for 2022’s Pixel 6a, right as reports of devices catching fire have been circulating.
Hidden within Android 16 QPR1 Beta 2, some lines of code suggest that Google will “reduce” the battery capacity of Pixel 6a via an upcoming software update and will recommend a battery replacement to users of the device. The code, as spotted by Android Authority, says:
Due to a potential battery overheating issue, battery capacity and charging performance are reduced, and battery replacement is recommended. Support options are available, visit g.co/pixel/6abattery for more information.
In another snippet, Google specifies that this new reduction to the Pixel 6a’s battery will take place after the device has reached 400 charge cycles, with a warning notification being shown after 375 cycles.
Your battery has reached 375 charge cycles. Due to a potential battery overheating issue, when your battery reaches 400 charge cycles the battery capacity and charging performance will be reduced and battery replacement is recommended. Support options are available, visit g.co/pixel/6abattery for more information.
The mentioned support page is not yet live, but it does seem as though this risk is already quite real.
Reports of Pixel 6a phones are limited thus far, but incidents aren’t exactly isolated either. In early May, one user noted that their device “caught fire in the middle of the night” while charging using a third-party charger. Another Pixel 6a user reported the same behavior just earlier this month on the same thread. There are two other examples of this on Reddit, one from last week and another from a few months ago, and one user sent images of their Pixel 6a that caught fire to Android Authority last month with their experience dealing with Google support which ended with a replacement device. Google has yet to publicly confirm this update, as well as support options available to Pixel 6a owners, but anyone still using these devices should certainly be cautious. It’s unclear if Google will wait until the QPR1 release in the coming months to make this change, or if it will kick in earlier than that.
Update: In a statement shared with 9to5Google, Google says this update is coming and will be mandatory.
A subset of Pixel 6a phones will require a mandatory software update to reduce the risk of potential battery overheating. The update will enable battery management features that will reduce capacity and charging performance after the battery reaches 400 charge cycles. We’ll contact impacted customers next month, with all the information they need to address the issue.
Images via u/zaliver on Reddit and Android Authority
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