The latest Android 16 beta now lets you throttle your Pixel’s battery, charging
Ryan Haines / Android Authority
TL;DR
- The Android 16 QPR1 beta 2 update apparently brings the battery health assistance feature.
- This feature effectively throttles your charging speed and battery over time in the name of battery health.
- The feature also comes after numerous reports of battery issues affecting older Pixel phones.
Google announced a battery health assistance feature alongside the Pixel 9a earlier this year. The feature effectively throttles your charging speed and battery over time. Now, it looks like the option is rolling out to other Pixel owners as part of the Android 16 QPR1 beta 2 release.
Telegram user SaMede0 spotted the battery health assistance option on their Pixel 7 Pro after updating to Android 16 QPR1 beta 2. Check out their screenshots below.
Google’s support page notes that this feature “adjusts the battery’s maximum voltage” in stages to help with long-term battery health. These voltage adjustments take place in stages, starting at 200 charging cycles and extending to 1,000 cycles. Unsurprisingly, the company adds that you might see small decreases in battery life and a “slight change” to charging performance.
Google previously confirmed that battery health assistance is mandatory on the Pixel 9a but an optional feature on other Pixel phones. This confirmation came after the company initially delayed the Pixel 9a’s release due to a “component quality issue.”
The feature’s availability to beta users also follows a string of user reports about older Pixel-A phones with serious battery issues. We’ve seen several users report that their Pixel 6a caught fire while plugged into a non-OEM charger, while Google recently announced a battery replacement program for Pixel 7a phones with swollen batteries. Furthermore, Google previously issued an update to some Pixel 4a models that drastically reduced battery life. Google didn’t issue a public reason for this update, but Australia’s consumer watchdog confirmed that some Pixel 4a batteries were at risk of overheating.
