Pixel 6a owners will receive $150 per battery from Google — but not all

Smartphones are getting better every year, but sometimes even a big company like Google faces unexpected problems. This time, we are talking about the Pixel 6a model, to be issued in 2022. This compact and quite popular smartphone from Google will soon receive an update that may significantly reduce battery life. This is due to risk of overheating and fire. The company has already recognized the problem: users affected by it are promised compensation of up to $150.

Starting July 8, all Pixel 6a devices will receive a mandatory firmware update. It is installed automatically as soon as the smartphone connects to the Internet. This update should protect the smartphone’s battery from overheating, because in in some cases the battery started to overheat to the point where it could cause a fire. To prevent this, Google has decided to reduce the charging power and total available battery capacity on certain devices.

However, this change will not affect everyone at the same time. Pros according to GoogleThe change only applies to phones that have already completed at least 400 full charging cycles. If this threshold has not yet been crossed, the change will not be activated. It’s also likely that the overheating is caused by a battery from a specific vendor, so not all Pixel 6a models are at risk.

For users who are still affected, there are three compensation options:

• Free battery replacement, which will be available from July 21.
• A $150 Google Store gift card.
• Monetary compensation in the amount of $100.

It is worth knowing that if you choose a gift card, it cannot be combined with other discounts and promotions. In many regions, this can make cash back a better option. For example, in Germany, the Pixel 9a costs €549 in the Google store, but on Amazon, it can be purchased for €452.

To check if you are eligible for a refund, Google has created special website. There you can find out if your Pixel 6a is on the list of devices with potentially problematic batteries.

This situation reminds us once again that even large companies are not immune to technical difficulties. It’s good that Google responds quickly and offers various solutions to the problem. If you own a Pixel 6a — it’s worth checking the device to avoid being left without a charge and without compensation.

Source: notebookcheck