Battery health management, long absent from Android, makes its debut in Android 16 Beta 3. This feature, requested for years, allows you to track battery degradation from your phone's menu, similar to what Apple has offered since 2017. But some users may be disappointed: not all Pixel models will have access to it.
Google restricts access to the "Battery Health" menu to a few recent models
With Android 16 Beta 3, Google is formalizing the deployment of a menu dedicated to battery health, allowing users to assess the residual capacity of their battery, a valuable tool for diagnosing battery life losses. But surprise: only the Pixel 9, the Pixel 9 Pro Fold, and the Pixel 8a will benefit from it. Neither the Pixel 8 nor the Pixel 8 Pro, which were released in late 2023, are affected (and there is no mention of the Pixel 9a, which is quite strange).
The news is confirmed on the Google Issue Tracker, where an employee states that this feature is "unfeasible" on older devices due to "product limitations," without providing further details. This vague justification reinforces the incomprehension of some users. Compared to Apple, which introduced this menu on the iPhone 6 with iOS 11.3, Google seems to be struggling to offer lasting software support.
"Old" Pixel smartphones sidelined
Aggrieved users who were hoping to see this new feature on their Pixels will have to turn to alternative solutions. While third-party apps or technical commands exist to obtain this data, they often remain less accessible or less reliable than a native option.
The technical limitation argument seems all the more surprising given that the Pixel 8a, although less high-end than the Pixel 8 Pro, is compatible. This decision casts doubt on an implicit desire to encourage device renewal (yes, planned obsolescence). Some Android manufacturers already integrate battery monitoring into their software overlays, but this remains very uneven and reserved for the most recent models. At a time when product durability and longevity are becoming crucial issues, Google's approach stands out.
Source: Android Authority
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