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Google Pixel 4a update to "improve stability" of the battery cuts life in half (liliputing.com)
submitted 3 weeks ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]
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[–] [email protected] 18 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago) (2 children)

Man, I bet this is just some people complaining about a weird feeling of the device being a little worse...

phones with the Lishen battery have the following changes applied:

  • Max charge voltage drops from 4.44V before the update to 3.95V after.
  • Batter capacity drops from 3,080 mAh to 1,539 mAh.

...

They just literally cut the capacity in half? What the fuck?

Google does provide a few other options for affected users :

  • Have the battery replaced for free at a walk-in center in the US, Canada, UK, Germany, Singapore, or India or take advantage of a mail-in repair program (US-only).
  • Request a $100 Google Store credit that you can put toward the purchase of another Pixel phone or other hardware.
  • Request a $50 cash payment.

So... They made their device useless and instead of fixing it, they just tell them to buy something else? How is that even legal?

[–] j4k3 9 points 3 weeks ago

Should be a class action in a place like North Carolina where they would owe like 3× the total price of the phone to each user

[–] [email protected] 0 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago) (2 children)

So… They made their device useless and instead of fixing it

Have the battery replaced for free

how is this not fixing it?

Users with a phone sporting the Amperex battery probably won’t see any difference after installing the update. But phones with the Lishen battery have the following changes applied:

Looks to be a manufacturing fault with the Lishen batteries

[–] [email protected] 7 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

Have the battery replaced for free

how is this not fixing it?

at a walk-in center or [...] a mail-in repair program (US-only).

I couldn't find a walk in center in Germany, but I'll just assume that there isn't one in my village, just because the biggest thing we have is a small café near an old water mill, so I'm sure people would have discussed a Google walk in repair center if there was one. Which would leave me with, let me check, ah, no options to get that repaired according to that list.

Disabling half a battery remotely and then telling any non-US-citizen to either drive a few hundred kilometres or suck it isn't really "fixing it".

[–] [email protected] 0 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago)

How do I obtain a battery replacement? If you choose to request one free battery replacement, eligible Pixel 4a devices can be taken to walk-in repair centers in the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Germany, Singapore and India. Visit our registration page and after selecting the Repair option, you can find a service location near you.

https://support.google.com/pixelphone?p=pixel4a_battery_help&sjid=1353298532614703439-NC

That should tell you where your nearest repair centre is

drive a few hundred kilometres or suck it

drive a few hundred kilometres or:

Request a $100 Google Store credit that you can put toward the purchase of another Pixel phone or other hardware.

or

Request a $50 cash payment.

Maybe just take the $50 cash payment and get a local mobile phone shop to replace the battery?

I duno because to me:

Over a year after software support ended

The support period is so short, this is why I ended up going to Apple

[–] [email protected] 3 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

Were phones with Lishen batteries only sold in those countries? If not then I guess I'll just fly to Germany for a free battery replacement.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

Depends, let me know if your battery life is suddenly cut in half ;)

[–] [email protected] 2 points 3 weeks ago

I don't have a pixel but if I did the only viable option is the cash payout. Apparently Google Store isn't available in my country either :)

[–] birbs 4 points 3 weeks ago

I have a pixel 4a and "cut in half" is putting it nicely. Mine went from lasting 12+ hours to 2-3 tops. I flashed an older version and it's back to normal now.

[–] jimmy90 4 points 3 weeks ago

lineage is in a great place on this phone btw