Pixel 6a gets a mandatory Android update next week with battery reduction

26 pointsposted 15 hours ago
by leoff
(9to5google.com)

22 Comments

woodson

14 hours ago

Sounds like the same farce as with the forced Pixel 4a update. Not sure if they learned anything from that, other than to ignore the issues and move ahead anyway.

alnwlsn

13 hours ago

I'll have you know I did successfully claim my $50 from that refund program they did for the 4a.

> "enter your sn in this form to see if you qualify"

> enter sn

> "great, you'll hear from us in 2 weeks"

> 2 weeks pass

> "you're eligible! you can either have $50 or $100 towards a new phone"

> just bought a new phone, give me the 50

> "great, you'll hear from us in 2 weeks"

> 2 weeks pass

> "we use a 3rd party to issue refunds, download their app"

> download app

> setup account

> verify account

> enter bank info

> "great, you'll hear from us in 2 weeks"

> 2 weeks pass

> "sorry, we couldn't process your bank info"

> dammit, forgot app password

> recover app account

> re-verify app account

> reenter banking info

> "great, you'll hear from us in 2 weeks"

> 2 weeks pass

> "your bank info is verified. You'll get your refund within 2 weeks"

> 2 weeks pass

> money deposited

barely even worth it.

Spunkie

13 hours ago

Alternatively I went with:

> "enter your sn in this form to see if you qualify"

> "Your pixel 4a does not qualify"

But why? Does it mean my battery is unaffected or their lawyers managed to weasel out of all the phones qualifying somehow?

Who knows? Well google certainly knows, but they ain't telling me.

mircea

10 hours ago

Same with my Pixel 6a. I wish they would provide more details about why it doesn't qualify.

anitil

8 hours ago

I know that this is the outcome they're hoping for, but my usual behaviour is:

> Do nothing

It makes me a little bit mad but having $50 'stolen' from me just feels like par for the course these days.

tracker1

14 hours ago

Yeah, that killed my battery... at least it got me a free battery replacement, even though actually getting that locally was a bit of a pain. Couldn't "reserve" or make an appointment ahead. Just call uBreakIFix and if they had one, come in. That Google did the release that broke the batteries after they had recalled all the spares from the fixit companies was really poorly timed.

Still using my 4a, though have been thinking of a switch to the 9XL.

keb_

10 hours ago

I recently just got my RMA fulfilled for a Pixel 5 that developed a spicy pillow after 5 years, but I've already sworn off Pixel devices from here on out after this and a total lemon of a Pixel 6 I had bought my wife for her birthday.

In general, the whole planned obsolescence business model of smart phones has really soured my opinions of this technology that is now central to our lives.

frou_dh

13 hours ago

The dodgy hardware doesn't reflect well on the Google/Pixel brand, that's for sure.

That said, I'm fairly happy with this because my 6a just sits around as an Android test device. Probably only has tens of battery cycles on it and might not ever reach the 400 cycle count where they've deemed this upcoming software nerf needs to kick in. So a free $100 and still keeping the phone is fine by me.

https://i.imgur.com/4wpSMAW.png

doublepg23

14 hours ago

The shoddy QC in Pixel devices is bad enough I only recommend Sammy flagships to my Android friends. Doesn't feel like a great choice either with all the adware tbh.

akimbostrawman

2 hours ago

I rather take my chances with googles hardware but decent software (or even amazing with https://grapheneos.org) than guaranteed awful samsung software

justaj

2 hours ago

Speaking of, will GrapheneOS push this particular update?

mchonedev

14 hours ago

Oh goodie. My 6a has had terrible battery life (and actually overheated about a month and a half ago while charging) yet my phone doesn't qualify for the replacement for whatever reason.

This is my 3rd google phone in a row with issues:

Nexus 6p - Had to have the battery replaced and then inexplicitly died, dead to the world Pixel 4a - Similar battery issues + a screen that physically fell out of the phone Pixel 6a - Battery woes BEFORE this update in the near future

alnwlsn

14 hours ago

I had a 5A inexplicably develop a crack in the screen literally before my eyes as I was holding it. I watched it propagate from left to right over about 6 seconds. If I hadn't seen it, I would never have believed it.

Not even worth arguing for a warranty at that point. Replaced the screen myself later.

fercircularbuf

11 hours ago

Took 5 minutes and they've confirmed they're going to deposit $100 into my bank account within 24 hours.

user

12 hours ago

[deleted]

isUserAMonkey

13 hours ago

The 4a debacle was enough motivation to make me change teams and buy an iPhone earlier in the year, I opted for the $50 no questions asked cash from Google.

The only real thing I’m missing on the iPhone is Firefox/ublock origin combo.

47282847

12 hours ago

Happy user of Orion/Ublock on iOS here. Maybe you want to give that a try.

isUserAMonkey

11 hours ago

That looks like a good suggestion to try out, thank you.

dantodor

9 hours ago

Did as advised, went to to support page, pasted the IMEI. Result? My Pixel 6a is apparently not a Pixel 6a for Google...

ottod

6 hours ago

Same with me. I had just changed my SIM last month, forced by the phone company. Luckily I had an inactive eSIM from a trip abroad from last year as IMEI2; that Google liked.