Google’s Pixel 4a Battery Update Drastically Cuts Charge Life by Over 40%

In early January 2023, Google released a Pixel 4a update aimed at improving battery performance stability but warned that it might reduce battery life. The update significantly cut usable charge by over 40% due to lowering the maximum charge voltage from 4.45V to 3.95V. This change has led to many users experiencing drastically reduced battery life, with some devices lasting less than 8 hours per charge. Additionally, the update removed features such as Adaptive Charging and the estimated charging time display, and disabled the option to show battery percentage in the status bar for new users.

Google marked this update as an 'Emergency Maintenance Release' and has offered free battery replacements and compensations to eligible Pixel 4a owners. The company also removed all previous software builds released before the battery update. This significant impact on battery life may prompt affected users to consider upgrading their devices, especially since the Pixel 4a stopped receiving regular software support in 2023.