Google Introduces Battery Health Feature for Newer Pixel models
Google has been hinting at a Battery Health feature as the Android 14 QPR2 Beta 2, which was over two years ago. Now, this long-awaited feature is finally rolling out to select users with Android 16 Beta 3. However, it’s important to note that this update is only available for the latest Pixel models.
Limited Availability: who Can Use it?
Currently, the Battery Health Indicator is exclusive to the Pixel 9 series and the Pixel 8a. Surprisingly, even newer devices like the Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro are not included in this rollout. Google confirmed these details in an issue tracker thread stating that “the Battery Health Indicator feature is currently supported in Beta 3 on Pixel 8a and Pixel 9 products including the Pro Fold.” They also mentioned that older models will not support this feature due to certain product limitations.
Speculations About Product Limitations
It seems that only devices launched in or after 2024 will be compatible with this new feature.While Google hasn’t provided a clear description for this restriction,many fans speculate it might relate to difficulties in retrieving battery cycle counts from older models. This reasoning raises questions since both the Pixel 8 and its counterpart have similar lithium-ion batteries but differ slightly in capacity.
Similar Hardware Yet Different Features
Interestingly, both the Pixel 8 and its cheaper version, the Pixel 8a, share identical hardware components like the Tensor G3 chip. Given their similarities, many users are frustrated by Google's choice to limit access to just one model.A Reddit user expressed their disappointment by noting that they had previously seen functionality on their older device: “[Pixel]6 Pro here. It worked in a beta before then they said it was only meant for [the]8a.”
Comparison with Apple’s Approach
For context, Apple introduced its own Battery health feature back in 2017 and made it available retroactively for devices dating back as far as iPhone models from around mid-2014 (including iPhone 6). This comparison highlights how other tech companies have approached battery health monitoring differently than Google.
Future Possibilities
The current restrictions may change down the line; right now, access to the Battery health menu is limited strictly to those participating in Android's Beta program for version sixteen. Since it's still under testing phases and hasn't been released publicly yet—expected around Q2 of next year—there's potential for broader availability once Android version sixteen launches widely.
Google may provide more updates during events such as Google I/O scheduled for early next year.
while Google's introduction of a dedicated Battery Health menu marks progress towards better device management features within its ecosystem of smartphones—especially among newer releases—it also raises concerns about accessibility across different generations of devices within their lineup.
