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Android users fume over huge battery life drop and missing features after ‘disaster’ update
Some users have also said they aren’t eligible for Google’s “appeasement” programme
ANDROID users have slammed an update which allegedly has left some devices unable to hold charge for “more than an hour”.
The Pixel 4a update was released in January 2025 and was related to undisclosed battery concerns.
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Google said the update would “improve the stability of their battery’s performance”, but warned that it may force users to go “shorter periods between charges”.
However, the tech firm did say that users whose devices were impacted would be eligible for “an appeasement from Google”.
This “appeasement” would come in the form of a free battery swap, $50 (£40) in cash or $100 (£80) to put towards another Pixel phone in the Google Store.
However, users have slammed the change and are claiming that they aren’t eligible for free repair.
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One user took to Reddit to vent their frustration.
They said: “My Pixel 4a won't stay charged for more than an hour any more.
“I wasn't eligible for the free repair.
“Makes zero sense.”
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Another said: “Got the update since today.
“Battery life before the update got worse during the last 2 years or so but with the update it got even worse.
A study has found that users enter panic mode after an hour without their device
“In the car I can't load it anymore.
“It stagnates.”
However, opinions are divided on the alleged changes to the Pixel’s battery life as one Redditor said that they hadn’t been affected by the update.
They wrote: “Updated this morning and did not notice any difference (so far).
“Then I stumbled in here and was surprised by everyone else's problems.”
Hector Martin, a developer at Asahi Linux, revealed that the update reduced the maximum charge voltage of the Android battery.
This moved the maximum voltage from 4.45V to 3.95V.
The update also removed the adaptive charging feature, which slowed charging to prolong battery health.
Estimated charging time has been removed too, along with the ability to see the battery percentage in the status bar.
Google has been approached for comment about the widespread complaints related to the update.
The update came after the trillion-dollar tech firm announced a new AI tool called Ask for Me.
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Their new tool will scour the internet to find the pricing and availability of certain businesses and can even book appointments for you.
However, the feature is still in testing which may mean fans will have to wait some time before being able to use it.
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