Google’s mandatory update to improve Pixel 4a battery is going very wrong for some users

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WTF?! A few years after discontinuing the device, Google unexpectedly released one more update for the Pixel 4a budget phone. While the company anticipated a “shorter” battery life after the update, the actual issues users experienced went far beyond a minor inconvenience.

The Pixel 4a battery performance program, announced by Google earlier this month, is now in full swing. Google identified that certain Pixel 4a variants required a software update to improve battery stability, prompting the company to roll out an Android 13 update on January 8.

However, an unconfirmed number of Pixel 4a owners have flooded social media – particularly Reddit – to share their frustrating experiences after installing the update. Concerns about its negative impact on battery life had already surfaced during the beta phase, with users warning of severely degraded performance.

Now, some users claim the update has “essentially ruined” their Pixel 4a experience. “Battery life? Toast. Usability? Gone,” one user lamented. A once-reliable device has been rendered virtually unusable, all because Google attempted to “improve” an operating system (Android 13) that hadn’t received an update in years.

Google attempted to justify the unexpected update by highlighting its new battery management features, which were intended to improve long-term battery stability. However, the company acknowledged that some affected devices could experience shorter battery life between charges. Additional issues following the update include slower charging speeds, an inaccurate battery level indicator, and other performance inconsistencies.

Recognizing the potential disruption, Google introduced a compensation plan – but according to frustrated users, it’s even worse than the battery-draining update itself.

The company is offering a $100 credit toward a new phone, but only as a promo code for future devices purchased through the Google Store. A $50 direct payment is also available, though many users see it as insufficient. Meanwhile, a free battery replacement service is being offered, but only to a limited number of users in select countries.

It remains unclear just how widespread the battery-draining issue is, but some Pixel 4a owners are furious. They argue that Google should at least allow affected users to roll back the update and restore their device to a functional state. Others believe the company should offer a more meaningful form of compensation for a phone that was effectively broken by its own update.