Earlier this year, Google released a Battery Performance Program update for the Pixel 4a which cut the phone’s battery life as a precautionary measure. The reason – Pixel 4a batteries were overheating and posing a fire hazard.
Well, another Pixel a-series phone is getting similar treatment soon as the Pixel 6a will also get a battery voltage decrease to prevent it from overheating.
There are several reports online of Pixel 6a units spontaneously catching fire while charging and Google is taking the precautionary route once again. The update will only affect Pixel 6a units with over 400 charging cycles. A string in the latest Android 16 QPR 1 beta release confirms these upcoming changes, and Google also issued an official statement.
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. – Google official statement
In the Pixel 4a case, Google reduced the battery’s maximum voltage down to 3.95V from the original 4.45V value. The result meant a 56% drop in charging capacity. The Pixel 6a will probably get similar treatment.
Burnt Pixel 6a unit (images: AndroidAuthority)
In the meantime, if you are a Pixel 6a user, you can check your battery health by going to Settings > Battery > Battery health. If the phone shows an alert, you should probably look into getting your phone’s battery swapped, preferably at a licensed service center.
Google is also offering free replacements for Pixel 7a units with swollen batteries.