Google will reduce battery life of some Pixel 6a to prevent overheating

Google has announced plans to reduce the battery capacity and charging speed of some Pixel 6a smartphones to prevent them from overheating. This decision was made in response to several cases where Pixel 6a batteries got so hot that the devices started to catch fire. Information about the upcoming changes appeared in the latest beta version of Android 16. This is reported by Android Authority.

The company announced that a certain portion of Pixel 6a owners will receive a mandatory software update that activates special battery management features. These features will limit battery capacity and reduce charging performance after the battery has gone through 400 charge cycles. Google promised to contact all affected users in the near future with detailed instructions. Software support for the Pixel 6a will continue until July 2027.

By the way, this is not the first Pixel model to face battery issues this year. In January, Google released an update for the Pixel 4a that reduced battery life but improved device stability. In April, the company launched a repair and compensation program due to cases of swollen batteries in the Pixel 7a.

Recall that the Pixel 6a is a mid-range smartphone released in 2022. It has a 6.1-inch OLED display with Full HD+ resolution and HDR support, a 12.2 MP camera with night shooting features, a Tensor processor, and a 4410 mAh battery. At the start of sales, the smartphone cost from $ 449.