Big photo: Google unexpectedly released a firmware update for the Pixel 4A smartphone earlier this year. Many users reported that the update made their equipment incredible or unusable, raising them the question of whether it was really necessary. Now, an Australian organization has revealed the real reason behind the update.
Google launched a so -called “battery performance program” in January, stating that some Pixel 4A phones required new battery management features to prevent performance declines. The company warned users that updates could reduce battery capacity on some devices and offer limited compensation options to affected customers.
After the update rolled out, several Pixel 4A owners discovered the full impact of Google’s warning. Some phones virtually became unusable, very low battery suffer from life. The new firmware disappointed several pixel customers, as Mountain View decided to cripple a closed device, offering only a small discount as compensation.
Now, the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACC) has revealed much more serious – and appropriate – the reason for updates. The organization recently released a recall for the Google Pixel 4A smartphone sold in Australia between 2020 and 2022, cited the risk of overheating, which could cause fire or irritation.
According to ACCC, this issue does not affect all Pixel 4A variants, which means that firmware updates may not affect battery management in some cases. In addition, the Australian Commission has referred to Google’s compensation program for customers looking to trade in its old devices for a small payment.
Prior to the ACCC recall program, no clear statement was made about potential overheating issues with Pixel 4A. Google said that Australian officials opted for “voluntary” recall initiative. Non-signed phones are technically useable for now, the company said.
Users have reported that Google’s firmware update has greatly affected the battery charging capacity. Some phones now run a few hours before the requirement of recharge-almost “unusable” states in today’s mobile-powered world.
According to code analysts checking the update, the Pixel 4A battery falls into two categories: ATL and LSN. Google put a charging capacity cap on the LSN battery to reduce overheating risks.
