Ah the classic “I read the headline but not the article post”
Tldr because you’re lazy: oh a certain brand of battery, 400 recharge cycles because after that risk of fire increases so they nerf it. Only on the 4a and 6a series.
I own a Pixel 6a, and I’m not happy about the whole situation for several reasons:
The update is mandatory and instant the moment it is received. You don’t get a choice in the matter.
The only reason I am aware of my battery being nerfed is because I had read this article and because I paid attention during the update. There is no clear indication after the update that they might have nerfed my battery life.
Google is not communicating clearly whether my phone is one of the so-called “affected devices”. There is a tool that allows you to check “eligibility”, but it only reports eligibility for a refund. My phone is not eligible for a refund, so does that mean my phone is not an “affected device”? It doesn’t say.
After calling support Im not much wiser. All they told me is that “if my phone gets warm sometimes, or the battery drains too fast” that might mean my device is affected. But clearly they should know whether my device is affected otherwise they wouldn’t be able to determine whether I’m eligible for the refund.
This is also not the first time Google burned me with a bad quality battery. This just strengthens my resolve that my next phone won’t be a Pixel. Which is a shame, because I like these phones otherwise.
Google is not offering me a no-cost battery replacement.
I’m not eligible for any replacement or refund according to their own support page
Edit: Here’s proof.
On the one page they are talking about “impacted devices”, but on the other page they say I’m not “eligible” for a refund of repair.
So they do not confirm whether my phone is unaffected or not. They only say I won’t get a refund.
I’m highly skeptical when a massive corporation uses inconsistent language like this. Especially when they don’t clearly define what they mean with the terms “impacted” and “eligible”.
Are there situations where impacted devices may not be eligible?
I had to get rid of my 4a because of the bad battery thing before that went public. The charger got so hot it melted part of the port, no refund offered, out of warranty. Now you’re telling me this same shit could happen with my 6a?
I know for a fact my next phone will be the Fairphone 6. Fuck this and fuck google.
mate if a badly made product makes it into your hand it’s the company that made it and sold it to you’s responsibility. “we used a subcontractor” is not an excuse. this is not random. it’s simply saying that google made a crappy product by cutting corners intientionally to boost short term profits at the cost of their consumer. if you think that’s what apple users do you haven’t met a single one
My wife uses apple. She’s had several phone updates that Nuke her battery. She’s also had a watch update that filled her storage up 98% that if she received a text through her watch it would say “storage is full”
What I don’t get it is, not ALL pixels are affected. Only SOME of them are. So Google has several suppliers to make their phones and only a few of those batteries are shit.
Not to mention Google said "we took this L, we will replace your battery for free"and everyone is like “NuH man Google just wants my money because I got their cheapest phone”
Keep in mind too, the 4a only had update support until 2023, this is knowledge you can understand when you purchase the phone. Like the 9a has update support until 2031
Honestly at this rate my next phone will be a feature phone. There is a lot I love about my Poco X7 Pro, but also a lot that I do not. And a lot of things seem to be getting worse.
Had mine since late '22. I’m at 1k cycles, so yeah. about a year. Maybe a little less, because I dont charge my phone overnight, and I only charge it to 80%.
My math was assuming that most users do charge every night, and again during the day 2-3 times a month. 365 + (12x3) = 401. So it seems like we have both ends of standard usage. They’ve basically just said that this battery will only last one year of standard usage before they intentionally hobble it.
If that’s for safety reasons, they need to stop putting unsafe hardware into their handsets.
I have the menu in GrapheneOS’s settings on a Pixel 7 Pro.
My cycle count is 590, but I’d like to know if that number includes the previous owner’s usage on the stock OS from before I installed GrapheneOS right after I bought it second-hand. Got a clue?
From my experience its a per-battery value. When I had a battery replaced on a family members device it went from 400 something down to 5. So I believe its including previous owner.
True, but that’s just the price they charge. The actual value of CPU performance, build quality and part quality indicates a midrange device.
In regards to the Pixel Fold (the $1500 devices), well, those in the market for a foldable already prefer to sacrifice device longevity and some practicality for the double screen, and usually aesthetics and gimmicks cost more than bare practicality. The foldables are in a different league, but still are outclassed by others in their price range.
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Ah the classic “I read the headline but not the article post”
Tldr because you’re lazy: oh a certain brand of battery, 400 recharge cycles because after that risk of fire increases so they nerf it. Only on the 4a and 6a series.
I own a Pixel 6a, and I’m not happy about the whole situation for several reasons:
This is also not the first time Google burned me with a bad quality battery. This just strengthens my resolve that my next phone won’t be a Pixel. Which is a shame, because I like these phones otherwise.
The Fairphone is looking quite interesting.
So why not do the no cost battery replacement that Google is offering everyone with a 6a?
Fairphones do look nice. Those are like what the nothing phones wanted to be but just didn’t.
Google is not offering me a no-cost battery replacement.
I’m not eligible for any replacement or refund according to their own support page
Edit: Here’s proof.
On the one page they are talking about “impacted devices”, but on the other page they say I’m not “eligible” for a refund of repair.
So they do not confirm whether my phone is unaffected or not. They only say I won’t get a refund.
I’m highly skeptical when a massive corporation uses inconsistent language like this. Especially when they don’t clearly define what they mean with the terms “impacted” and “eligible”.
Are there situations where impacted devices may not be eligible?
I had to get rid of my 4a because of the bad battery thing before that went public. The charger got so hot it melted part of the port, no refund offered, out of warranty. Now you’re telling me this same shit could happen with my 6a?
I know for a fact my next phone will be the Fairphone 6. Fuck this and fuck google.
If this happens to me I’ll just install grapheneOS
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Well there are multiple companies that make the batteries
I wonder who selected the companies to provide the batteries
Why is this your random go to? Kinda apple user of you.
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Google loves to cheap out if they think they can get away with it, just look at the modem on the 8 series
mate if a badly made product makes it into your hand it’s the company that made it and sold it to you’s responsibility. “we used a subcontractor” is not an excuse. this is not random. it’s simply saying that google made a crappy product by cutting corners intientionally to boost short term profits at the cost of their consumer. if you think that’s what apple users do you haven’t met a single one
My wife uses apple. She’s had several phone updates that Nuke her battery. She’s also had a watch update that filled her storage up 98% that if she received a text through her watch it would say “storage is full”
What I don’t get it is, not ALL pixels are affected. Only SOME of them are. So Google has several suppliers to make their phones and only a few of those batteries are shit.
Not to mention Google said "we took this L, we will replace your battery for free"and everyone is like “NuH man Google just wants my money because I got their cheapest phone”
Keep in mind too, the 4a only had update support until 2023, this is knowledge you can understand when you purchase the phone. Like the 9a has update support until 2031
https://support.google.com/pixelphone/answer/16340779
for those of you affected in the us, you can get a free battery repair, $100 cash or $150 in store credit (lmao)
My pixel 6a screen stopped working (the glass isn’t even broken), but I was able to use talkback to get my IMEI and $100. What a win.
subpar? this is just capitalism ensuring we “need” a new phone.
yep - I was still happy with my 4a until they killed its battery. I bought a used 8 Pro. That was about 3 months ago, and it still feels too big.
My next phone will be a Fairphone 6, even though they’re not officially sold here in Brazil.
And when that one breaks… Maybe no phone at all.
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Ask a friend to buy it in europe and send it to you
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Thats the cheap option. You can of course fly yourself to germany or netherlands and but it your self or even use a forwarding service.
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Honestly at this rate my next phone will be a feature phone. There is a lot I love about my Poco X7 Pro, but also a lot that I do not. And a lot of things seem to be getting worse.
When that one breaks there’s a good chance you can replace just the broken part.
Yep
It’s not that bad and got 83 euros back and payed 300 euros 2. 5 years ago.
How? Link?
https://support.google.com/pixelphone/answer/16340779?hl=en
Except that they’re admitting fault and offering free battery replacement… The update of course sucks ass but it’s a safety measure.
I’d be emailing and calling and bitching then. Super shitty
Who would you email or call? 🤔
Releasing a Pixel without QA issues. Level: IMPOSSIBLE
sent from Pixel 9
400 cycles? So, a year? One year.
Had mine since late '22. I’m at 1k cycles, so yeah. about a year. Maybe a little less, because I dont charge my phone overnight, and I only charge it to 80%.
My math was assuming that most users do charge every night, and again during the day 2-3 times a month. 365 + (12x3) = 401. So it seems like we have both ends of standard usage. They’ve basically just said that this battery will only last one year of standard usage before they intentionally hobble it.
If that’s for safety reasons, they need to stop putting unsafe hardware into their handsets.
How do you know how many cycles it has? Is there a way to see that, or are you just counting days?
I have a Pixel 6, don’t charge it overnight. Batteries fine, yet.
System Settings > About Phone > Device Details Category > Battery Information
I’m using Calyx but I assume that its also the same on Graphene, lineage, AOSP, /e/ so on and so fourth.
edit: I dont know why I got downvoted, I’m sorry you dont have this menu also ???
Battery information doesn’t exist for me :(
Pixel 6
Ok. I’m still on Android (15) and I don’t t find this Information anywhere.
I did not downvote you. People sometimes downvote when they think your comment is factually wrong. Don’t take it personally.
I have the menu in GrapheneOS’s settings on a Pixel 7 Pro.
My cycle count is 590, but I’d like to know if that number includes the previous owner’s usage on the stock OS from before I installed GrapheneOS right after I bought it second-hand. Got a clue?
From my experience its a per-battery value. When I had a battery replaced on a family members device it went from 400 something down to 5. So I believe its including previous owner.
This doesn’t seem like that big a deal, especially as it’s a software update. Easily fixable with a firmware update like GrapheneOS
Won’t they push this update?
Pixels of this generation can get up to $1500 USD. If that’s not flagship territory, I don’t know what is.
Never seen a 4a or a 6a sold for 1500 Bucks. Dunno where you live though…
That is correct! However they said “the pixel series” meaning the entire lineup of pixels.
I don’t think the ‘a’ variants are ever close to that price.
That is correct! However they said “the pixel series” meaning the entire lineup of pixels.
True, but that’s just the price they charge. The actual value of CPU performance, build quality and part quality indicates a midrange device.
In regards to the Pixel Fold (the $1500 devices), well, those in the market for a foldable already prefer to sacrifice device longevity and some practicality for the double screen, and usually aesthetics and gimmicks cost more than bare practicality. The foldables are in a different league, but still are outclassed by others in their price range.
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“You were warned. The a stands for a-splode.”
I have used cheaper budget and midrange phones. To date I have never experienced this issue ever.
This is the 1st I have been hearing since the Pixel 4a. Let’s not justify google.
I expect even a budget phone to still work the same after 1 year.
Most already do. This is the 1st we have been hearing for a while. Consistently since the Pixel 4a