Latest news with #batteryupdate
The Sun
03-07-2025
- The Sun
Free ‘battery life' upgrades being handed out to phone owners – and how to tell if you've got dodgy mobile that needs it
CHARGE UP How to check if you're eligible below , Assistant Technology and Science Editor A BIG update is coming to a popular mobile phone next week that could make the power run out faster. As such, Google is offering free battery upgrades to those affected. The update is coming to Pixel 6a handsets - and it's mandatory. It's all because of potential overheating, after a small number of users came forward claiming their phone caught fire. The issue and battery problems won't affect all Pixel 6a devices but the update is being issued as a precaution. Google confirmed to The Sun three weeks ago that an update was coming to a "subset" of users. On affected phones, the battery capacity will be reduced after they reach 400 charging cycles. If you do happen to have an impacted handset, a notification will appear when the phone has completed 375 cycles, to warn you that the new battery management features will kick into action soon. Google says this could result in the battery lasting "for shorter periods between charges" as well as "reduced charging performance or short-term changes to how the battery-level indicator on your phone shows your battery capacity". Now the company has revealed that it'll roll out the update next week. "All Pixel 6a devices will receive a mandatory automatic software update to Android 16, with roll-out starting on 8 July 2025, but only Impacted Devices will receive the battery management features," the firm said on its website. "Some users will see changes sooner than others, because the battery management features activate only after an Impacted Device reaches 400 charge cycles." It's not the first time Google has had to deal with battery issues, having run a similar programme for the Pixel 4a previously. Google's special tool.
Phone Arena
03-07-2025
- Phone Arena
Popular mid-range Pixel model will receive an important battery update on July 8th
Google has already made it clear that some Pixel 6a users will receive a mandatory update this month that will fix an issue with the phone's battery. To get ready for the update, Google cleared all factory image files for the Pixel 6a . The last time something like this happened, Google cleared all factory images for the Pixel 4a, and within days. the Pixel 4a's battery update was released. The Pixel 6a needs a battery update because. without one, there is a good chance that the cell on some Pixel 6a units will overheat. Google said last month that only a subset of Pixel 6a units will need the update, which will lower the capacity of the Pixel 6a 's battery, and reduce its charging performance after 400 charge cycles. When the Pixel 4a battery was recently impaired by time, Google offered users a free battery replacement, $50 payments, or a $50 discount code from the Google Store to use toward the price of any replacement device available from the online Google Store. Google called all of this the "Pixel 4a Battery Performance Program." Like it did with the Pixel 4a, you can now see if your Pixel 6a qualifies for the Pixel 6a Battery Performance Program. Simply tap on this link and follow the directions on the screen. We first told you about this update last month and now we know exactly when the update will arrive. Google announced yesterday that the battery update for the Pixel 6a is coming July 8th, next Tuesday. Now that we know the date when it will arrive, you should know that all Pixel 6a models will receive this mandatory update. However, those with impacted Pixel 6a models will be eligible to receive a free battery replacement at no cost, a cash payment, or a hardware discount from the Google Play Store. Google will let you know if your device qualifies as an "impacted" model. "Impacted" models will also receive a notification from Google when they have completed 375 charging cycles. As we pointed out earlier in this article, Google cleared all of the factory images from the Pixel 6a stable and beta release pages. The Pixel 6a was also removed from the OTA files page. The only thing left for the Pixel 6a is a "Coming soon" notice on the factory images page explaining that a special battery update for the model will be coming soon. Just in time, starting July 21st, Google is debuting walk-in battery replacements in the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Germany, Singapore, Japan, and India. There will be mail-in repair available in the U.S. and India. Secure your connection now at a bargain price! We may earn a commission if you make a purchase Check Out The Offer
The Verge
02-07-2025
- The Verge
Google's fix for Pixel 6A battery overheating issues arrives next week
A mandatory update for Google's mid-range Pixel 6A phones is coming next week that is meant to reduce the risk of the battery overheating on some devices. According to a support page post, Google is issuing the mandatory Android 16 update starting July 8 to all Pixel 6A devices. However, only users with 'Impacted Devices' will see any effect on their battery. Announced earlier this month, the update will reduce the battery capacity on affected phones after they reach 400 charging cycles, Google's Alex Moriconi told The Verge. The move comes after at least two people reported their Pixel 6As catching fire. Google says affected users will get a notification when the phone has completed 375 cycles, giving them a heads-up that the new battery management features will be activated soon. Once these management tools are in effect, the battery won't last as long between charges. According to Google, users may see other changes, 'like reduced charging performance or short-term changes to how the battery-level indicator on your phone shows your battery capacity as your phone learns its revised battery capacity.' It's not clear why some Pixel 6A phones are affected and others aren't, but if yours is, Google is offering free battery replacement — you can check here to see if you're eligible. The company has already dealt with a similar issue on the Pixel 4A, offering owners a free battery replacement or a $100 credit towards a new phone. It currently has an extended repair program for battery swelling issues on the Pixel 7A.
Android Authority
02-07-2025
- Android Authority
Google's mandatory Pixel 6a battery management starts arriving next week
Ryan Haines / Android Authority TL;DR Google updated the Pixel 4a for battery management concerns earlier this year. We recently spotted Google planning a similar approach to battery failures on the Pixel 6a. Google now shares its full Pixel 6a strategy, with an update heading out July 8. Google's got a battery problem with Pixel phones. Early this year, we learned of Google's plan to issue a new update for the aging Pixel 4a, but rather than giving the phone a fresh version of Android, this update was all about trying to mitigate problems caused by the phone's battery overheating during charging, impacting battery life or even leading to fires. Then just a few weeks back we spotted evidence in Android 16 that suggested Google was planning a similar update for the Pixel 6a. Google ended up confirming that strategy, and today we start getting the full details on how this 'fix' is rolling out. Just like with the Pixel 4a before it, today Google has posted a Battery Performance Program support page for the Pixel 6a. There, the company reveals that it intends to issue 'a mandatory automatic software update to Android 16.' This release will start going out to Pixel 6a phones beginning on July 8. Don't like the sound of a mandatory update and are already getting ready to flash your Pixel 6a with a different release? Not a bad idea, but Google's clever, too, and earlier today Droid Life spotted Google deleting its public archive of Pixel 6a firmware images: Google Alright, so if this is happening, like it or not, what does that mean for you and your Pixel 6a phone? Basically, Google has identified a class it's calling 'Impacted Devices,' which consist of some, but not all, Pixel 6a hardware. The company does not go into any great detail explaining what specifically differentiates an Impacted Device from one that's not, but presumably we're talking about battery or charge-management hardware. If your Pixel 6a is not one of these Impacted Devices, you've got nothing to worry about — you'll get this mandatory update, sure, but your phone will keep right on working like normal. If it is an Impacted Device, though, then the second factor comes into play: Once your handset completes 400 charging cycles, a new battery management system will kick into effect, limiting your charge and ultimately resulting in what will likely be reduced battery life. While there's no way to disable that limit when operating your Pixel 6a with its original battery, there is a path forward from this, and Google invites Pixel 6a owners to check if their phones are eligible for battery replacements (or at least a compensatory cash payout). Once there's a fresh battery installed in your Pixel 6a, you'll once again be able to charge it to its full, rated capacity. All told, none of this great, and it sounds like a headache that no Pixel 6a owners really deserve, but we can at least appreciate that Google is trying to get ahead of this after the whole Pixel 4a debacle, and hopefully prevent more fires before they happen. Got a tip? Talk to us! Email our staff at Email our staff at news@ . You can stay anonymous or get credit for the info, it's your choice.
The Sun
12-06-2025
- The Sun
Mobile users warned urgent ‘mandatory' update affects their battery after reports of phones catching FIRE
A "MANDATORY" update is going out to some mobiles after reports of fires breaking out when charging. While the update is important for safety, affected users will notice a knock to their battery's capacity as a result. 2 Google has confirmed to The Sun that a "subset" of Pixel 6a devices will receive it "to reduce the risk of potential battery overheating". It comes as a number of unverified reports online that the phone caught fire when on charge. One user shared pictures of his destroyed Pixel 6a which they say began to "shoot out hot gas" in the middle of the night as it was on charge. "Luckily, I was able to smother the fire, then throw the still-smoking phone into the toilet before the fire spread," Reddit user zaliver claimed. "My wife and I are pretty shook up about it." A small number of other users have reported similar issues. "The update will enable battery management features that will reduce capacity and charging performance after the battery reaches 400 charge cycles," Google said. "We'll contact impacted customers next month, with all the information they need to address the issue." It comes only a few months after another update impacted the batteries on the Pixel 4A, though this incident affected all models and wasn't a result of safety concerns. Owners were offered a free replacement battery to solve the problem.
