Pixel 6a gets a mandatory Android update next week with battery reduction
9to5google.com
9to5google.com
Still using my 4a, though have been thinking of a switch to the 9XL.
> "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.
> "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.
Pixel 4a units contained one of two different batteries, and only the one manufactured by a company called Lishen was downgraded. For the Pixel 6a, Google has decreed that the battery limits will be imposed when the cells hit 400 charge cycles. Beyond that, the risk of fire becomes too great—there have been reports of Pixel 6a phones bursting into flames.
> Do nothing
It makes me a little bit mad but having $50 'stolen' from me just feels like par for the course these days.
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.
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.
You are greeted with a screen with all the crap it wants to install after turning on the phone for the first time (which you can fully skip) and that's it. A One UI 7/8 setup can be pretty bare bones and minimalistic if you want, at least here in the EU.
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
Not even worth arguing for a warranty at that point. Replaced the screen myself later.
The only real thing I’m missing on the iPhone is Firefox/ublock origin combo.