Samsung isn’t the only one that can mistakenly engineer a battery overheating problem into its prized smartphones. Google’s been navigating the muck of such an ongoing fiasco with its Pixel 6a, which it released in July 2022.
“This update is necessary to address a potential battery overheating risk in certain Pixel 6a devices which could pose a risk to users,” says Google.
Not every Pixel 6a is impacted. You can head here to see if your device is one of the ones impacted. If it’s not, then you’re good. If it is, well, that sucks. Here’s what’s going to happen over the next few days, beginning on July 8.
an update incoming
Every Google Pixel 6a will receive a mandatory automatic software update to Android 16 on July 8, “but only impacted devices will receive the battery management features,” says Google in a July 2 announcement.
The battery management features only activate once the Pixel 6a reaches 400 charge cycles. Seeing as how the Pixel 6a was released in 2022, it seems likelier than not that most of the affected devices have passed that milestone by now.
After the new battery management features take effect on your Pixel 6a (if it’s one of the impacted Pixels), the battery “may last for shorter periods between charges,” according to Google.
Not thrilled with that? You “may” (Google’s hedging, not mine) be eligible to have your battery replaced for free. Head to this page if that sounds like a better option than dealing with shorter battery life.
Your last option involves cold, hard cash, or slightly warmer, softer Google credit. If you’ve got one of the affected units and are ready to move on from your Pixel 6a to another, newer phone (after all, it’s a three-year-old phone by now), you can choose to receive $100 in a cash payout or a Google Store discount code worth $150 that you can use for a Pixel phone upgrade.
The first step toward any of these options, if needed, is to check whether your Pixel 6a is eligible.
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