Some of the greatest Android phones available today were developed by the Pixel 9 series. However, this kind of achievement takes time, as Google has had a number of unsuccessful phone releases in the past. Although they weren’t all awful, they lacked the sophistication of more recent models.
We are now beginning to witness how durable these phones from the previous generation are, even if the majority will have switched from those older models to something new. The brand replaced the Pixel 7a’s battery due to problems, and the Pixel 4a received a surprise upgrade that decreased battery life. Additionally, we learned last month that the Pixel 6a would also receive a battery update.
Having said that, Google has officially announced its Pixel 6a Battery Performance Program, which is scheduled to debut on July 8 (via Droid Life). Droid Life had previously reported that Google has withdrawn firmware for the Pixel 6a. Regarding the specifics, Google has concluded that an upgrade is necessary for some Pixel 6a smartphones to “lower the risk of potential battery overheating.”
This update will now lower battery capacity and charging performance, much like Google’s earlier moves, although it will only impact devices that have completed more than 400 charging cycles. Once more, you will only receive this update if you have a device that is impacted. This update won’t be required for all Pixel 6a phones.
Naturally, this is a rather awkward situation, and it seems like Google is making amends by providing “a repair at no cost to you, a cash payment, or a Google Store hardware discount credit.” To find out if you qualifies, you must input your IMEI on the support website.
You can visit a support center in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Germany, Singapore, Japan, and India if you would like to have your battery changed and your device is eligible. In order to receive assistance, people in the US and India will also be able to mail in their device.
It will be disheartening for Pixel owners to go through this, but at least Google is making some efforts to make sure that its previous devices aren’t putting users at risk of any major problems. Additionally, it offers a range of options that will enable impacted consumers to receive the assistance they need.
Of course, we have some advice to assist you protect the battery inside your device if you have a different phone or tablet and want to be proactive about keeping it healthy.
Google Pixel Watch 5 (45mm)
Robert Haba is the founder and editor-in-chief of Droid Tools. A lifelong gadget enthusiast with over a decade following the Android ecosystem, he built this publication to cut through the noise and give readers honest, real-world coverage of the tech they actually use.
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