Shock Android update spells bad news for Google Pixel phone owners

If you have a Google Pixel phone, you might be used to there being a few hiccups and bugs when it comes to performance and software. Although the smartphone line is famed for its excellent cameras and eye-catching design, they have a history of blips that can come back to bite loyal customers at times.

In January, Google said it would push out a software update to all Pixel 4a phones that was designed to intentionally reduce battery life and charging performance. This was to ensure the phone continued to perform safely, but resulted in much worse battery life, to the point the tech giant offered Pixel 4a owners compensation or a free battery replacement.

The latest phone to come a cropper is the Pixel 6a, released in 2022. Android Authority spotted clues in the code for Android 16, the latest version, that Google has discovered a battery overheating issue and will push an update soon that will limit battery life and charging speed.

A Google spokesperson gave this statement to the publication:

“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.”

No other models appear to be affected.

Google says a “subset” of Pixel 6a phones are affected, so if you have a 6a, you might be lucky and dodge this hobbling update. But if your phone is suspected to have issues, Android 16 could noticeably decrease your phone’s battery performance. If you’ve had the phone for some time and the battery is already showing its age, this could prove rather frustrating.

There have been reports of Pixel 6a phones catching fire, which is likely why Google is addressing this issue. Phone fires are usually related to battery problems.

If you want to check your 6a today, head to Settings > Battery > Battery Health and check if things are described as ‘Normal’. If you see any kind of warning, take note and contact Google support.

The Pixel 6a is currently promised five years of software support from Google, so is due to get new Android versions and security updates until 2027. This battery problem could spell the end for many 6a phone though, and it remains to be seen if Google is willing to compensate customers who could be forced to get a new phone earlier than they would like.

This bad news comes just days after Google pushed out Android 16 to all Pixel phones released since 2021, including the Pixel 6a.