Google leaves older Pixels behind for Android’s long-awaited Battery Health menu

Figuring out a cellphone’s battery well being is a vital diagnostic step that helps customers perceive why their cellphone’s battery is working out so shortly. iPhones have lengthy featured a devoted Battery Health menu within the iOS Settings app, making it straightforward to test how a lot the battery has degraded. Google has additionally been noticed engaged on a Battery Health part for Pixel smartphones for some time now. Should you have been crossing your fingers to obtain this function in your older Pixel, there’s unhealthy information: The Battery Health menu is not going to be coming to older Pixel gadgets.

Google has been engaged on a Battery Health menu since way back to Android 14 QPR2 Beta 2, which was launched in December 2023. Greater than two years later, the function lastly grew to become obtainable to beta customers with the launch of Android 16 Beta 3.

On the time, although, it wasn’t instantly clear which Pixel gadgets had the brand new Battery Health menu. We noticed studies primarily from Pixel 9 collection customers and in addition for the Pixel 8a, however surprisingly, not for the Pixel 8, Pixel 8 Professional, and even older Pixels.

Google has now confirmed that that is intentional habits. As noticed by Reddit person azmeen0, Google has replied within the Google Challenge Tracker that the Battery Health Indicator function is not going to be obtainable on older Pixels.

Standing: Gained’t Repair (Infeasible)

Thanks for reporting this. The Battery Health Indicator function is at present supported in Beta 3 on Pixel 8a and Pixel 9 merchandise together with 9 Professional Fold. Resulting from product limitations, this function is not going to be obtainable on older in-market Pixel gadgets.

Whereas the remark is inside the context of Android 16 Beta 3, the forward-facing language signifies that we gained’t see the function come to Pixels past the Pixel 9 collection and the Pixel 8a at this stage. For reference, the Pixel 8a was launched in Might 2024, whereas the Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Professional have been launched in October 2023. In the meantime, the iPhone 6 from 2014 obtained the Battery Health menu with its iOS 11.3 replace in September 2017.

We’re nonetheless ready for the Battery Health menu to reach for all Pixel 9 collection and Pixel 8a customers with the Android 16 steady launch. Google has had over seven years of discover on this function, and its one-year-old flagships will nonetheless miss out. Some Android OEMs have added this function to their skins, however it’s obtainable solely on newer {hardware}, which is a giant disgrace. Folks utilizing older {hardware} don’t have any alternative however to discover other ways to test their cellphone’s battery well being.