In early January, Google published a support article https://support.google.com/pixelphone/answer/15701861 which announced an update supposed to resolve battery issues on certain Pixel 4a smartphones. According to Google, this issue only affects certain devices, so only devices with specific serial numbers will receive this update. The update is supposed to make battery performance more consistent, but Google acknowledges that it can reduce battery life and slow charging.
Today, Reddit has been flooded with complaints from frustrated users who claim that their Pixel 4a has become virtually unusable after installing the aforementioned update. One user complains that their battery is completely drained after using their phone for just 20 minutes over a five-hour period. For some users, charging times tripled after the update. Another user complains that the battery indicator became useless after the update, as it randomly fluctuates between 1%, 56% and 91% after each reboot, but does not change during use or charging.
On the corresponding support page, Google has already acknowledged that there may be problems with the battery indicator. The company has not yet confirmed the exact cause of this battery issue with the Pixel 4a. It’s also unclear whether not installing the patch poses any risks.
-In order to calm unhappy Pixel 4a users, Google is now offering three solutions to this annoying problem – free battery replacement, $50 compensation, or $100 credit on the official Google Store. To benefit from this offer, affected users must complete a registration form on the Google support site https://support.google.com/pixelphone/workflow/15642495 and verify the serial number of their Pixel 4a, because not all smartphones in this series are affected and therefore eligible.
The Pixel 8a starts at $399 on Amazon
