Despite Google’s Battery Performance Update, This Pixel Still Lit Up
There are a number of things you want your phone to do reliably: access the internet, make calls, give you directions via GPS. But what you don’t want, reliably or not, is for it to light up . This seems like a simple enough requirement for a modern device, but apparently someone forgot to warn some Google Pixel models about it.
As Android Authority reports , it appears a small number of Pixel phones are catching fire. The key word here is “small” — the publication has so far documented five such reports, specifically involving Pixel 6a phones, that have caught fire over the past year. Still, it’s a worrying trend that appears to have prompted Google to roll out an update for the Pixel 6a earlier this month . The update adds “battery management features” to these devices that dramatically reduce the devices’ performance to reduce the strain on their aging batteries. Google did the same thing with the Pixel 4a earlier this year , also in an effort to reduce the risk of fire.
These updates are a double-edged sword: on the one hand, you don’t want your phones to be unsafe, and on the other, if those devices get so hot that their batteries catch fire, you need to take action. However, the performance hit means that some Pixel 4a and Pixel 6a devices will be so slow that they’ll be nearly unusable.
Worse, the update doesn’t seem to have prevented all Pixel 6a units from catching fire. Android Authority reports that it recorded four cases of Pixel 6a fires before the July update, but a fifth occurred two weeks after Google released the update. The phone in question belonged to this Reddit user , who posted their experience to r/GooglePixel. The poster woke up to a “horrible smell and loud noise” and found their Pixel 6a on fire. They pulled it off their nightstand by the cord and threw it onto the tile floor , but before they could do so, the sheets caught fire, too. They also reported a sore throat from inhaling smoke from the Pixel 6a.
The author confirms that the update was installed earlier , so if true, whatever Google included in the “battery drain” as some users are calling it, it didn’t prevent the incident. The user was charging their Pixel with a Steam Deck charger , which is a pretty powerful 45W power adapter , but even so, users shouldn’t worry about the charger causing a fire.
What to do if you have a Pixel 6a
If you’re currently inspecting your Pixel 6a for smoke or overheating, I don’t blame you. First things first: Make sure you install the latest battery update. Even if it reduces performance, it likely reduces the risk of battery-related fires, even if it didn’t help the Reddit user in this case. After all, we don’t know the exact health of the user’s battery. Even if they didn’t notice any swelling, if their Pixel 6a’s battery was already dead, the heat from charging could have caused it to explode or simply catch fire.
You can also check out the Google Battery Replacement Program. If your device is eligible, you can get a free battery replacement for your 6a. You can take your phone in person to an authorized Google service center if you live in the US, Canada, UK, Germany, Singapore, Japan, or India. You can also mail it in if you live in the US or Canada. For more information, visit the Google Battery Replacement Program page here .
Remember: If the battery of any device shows signs of failure , including swelling, heating or smoking, do not plug it in. Instead, if possible, turn off the device and take it to a recycling center.