Google Pixel 6a

[limmk]

 

[limmk]

Over the past month, Google has been rolling out a battery reduction update for the Pixel 6a in the interest of user safety, and now the company has also stopped selling refurbished Pixel 6a devices.

An issue with the batteries inside of some Pixel 6a devices has, as of late, been leading to some devices overheating and catching fire. As a precautionary measure, Google recently rolled out a mandatory software update that, for affected devices, cuts the battery capacity and charging speeds. Pixel 6a owners have been feeling the effects of this and, as incidents have continued to pop up, most should be looking to either replace their battery or their device as soon as possible.

Seemingly as a result of this situation, Google has now opted to stop selling the Pixel 6a through its refurbished store.

The Google Store houses a handful of discounted, refurbished Pixel phones including the Pixel 6 series and Pixel 7 series. These devices are available for hundreds of dollars off of their original retail pricing, and the Pixel 6a was included until very recently.

We spotted that Google has dropped the refurbished Pixel 6a entirely from its store. The device was previously priced at $249 and was the most affordable way to get a Pixel phone with a warranty directly from Google. While we’re not sure exactly when this change was made, the refurbished Pixel 6a was still listed as recently as July 22.

Pixel 6, Pixel 6 Pro, Pixel 7a, Pixel 7, and Pixel 7 Pro all remain for sale at unchanged prices.

This is only the second update Google has made to its refurbished Pixel lineup since introducing it in late 2024, but we’ll presumably see Pixel 8 devices joining the list as the Pixel 10 series approaches.

 

[joesph]

ok quick update on my p6a. changed battery slightly more than a week ago. today when I turned it on it was only at 99% despite charging a few hours. maybe adaptive charging. as of this writing, the battery has dropped 4% in 28 minutes. just yesterday it would be at 100 or 99% after using this long. anyone else who changed to new battery observed this? I'm going to observe a few more days. I think the cdti warranty is only for a week right?

update: just spoke to Google support.90 day warranty. so still got time. as of now 7 % in 52 minute for just normal browsing and 1 short phone call.

one month warranty, stated in the paper which we signed?

 

[limmk]

Several Google Pixel models have suffered significant battery issues over the past eight months. This has manifested in Pixel-A series, with phones catching fire or suffering from swollen batteries. But I can forgive you if you didn’t know about it.

Google has tried extremely hard to sweep this issue under the rug, preferring that it didn’t exist and pretending it’s not a big deal. However, I can’t overstate enough why you really shouldn’t let the company off the hook.

Google’s disappointing reaction to battery issues​

The issue officially started with the Pixel 4a in January 2025, when Google issued a mandatory update to some models out of nowhere. The company claimed this update was part of the curiously named “Battery Performance Program.” This was interesting timing, as the phone hadn’t been supported since 2023. Users also quickly found out that this update dramatically reduced battery life and charging speed.

Google’s initial statement only said that this update would “improve the stability” of battery performance. At no point in the announcement post did it disclose that this update was actually released to reduce the risk of batteries overheating. It was Australia’s consumer watchdog that first revealed the battery overheating risk in March 2025 — almost three months later. This is something you’d really want to know if you had a Pixel 4a. To Google’s credit, it offered a free but optional battery replacement. The company also offered $50 cash or $100 in store credit as an alternative to the battery swap-out.

Google didn't even disclose that some Pixel 4a units had a battery overheating risk.​

It turned out that the Pixel 4a wasn’t alone, as the Pixel 6a also had battery issues. At least five Pixel 6a owners reported that their phones caught fire, with the earliest complaint dating back to at least December 2024. Google released a mandatory “Battery Performance Program” update to affected models last month, which unsurprisingly reduced charging speed and battery capacity. The company actually acknowledged the “risk of potential battery overheating” in its post announcing the update. It likely had no choice but to confirm the issue in light of the user complaints. Google once again offered free battery replacements, cash, or store credit. But again, the battery replacement is optional, and it didn’t initiate a recall.

Unfortunately, there’s a chance the battery-nerfing update might not help in some situations. One Pixel 6a owner reported a fire after installing the update. If confirmed, this would demonstrate that Google isn’t doing nearly enough and absolutely needs a mandatory battery replacement program or recall.

The latest page in the Pixel 6a saga is that Google has reportedly pulled refurbished phones from sale on its website. It’s entirely possible this move is unrelated to the battery issue (e.g., stock). But if Google’s decision is indeed due to battery concerns, what does that say about the company’s approach? At best, the company doesn’t want to sell more potentially defective Pixel 6a units to consumers, but won’t actually initiate a recall. At worst, Google thinks the Pixel 6a is safe enough to keep in your pocket but not safe enough to sit in a warehouse.

Believe it or not, but the Pixel 7a suffers from issues too, as some users reported swollen batteries. Thankfully, Google did a solid job of announcing the issue. It confirmed “unexpected battery swelling” and initiated a battery replacement program. Clearly, this isn’t an issue that can be addressed with a “Battery Performance Program” update. But this turn of events seems to be the exception, rather than the rule.

Google apparently pulled refurbished Pixel 6a phones from its shelves, but what about customer devices?​

This issue might not end here, though. Google launched the Pixel 9a earlier this year but delayed the release due to an unspecified component issue.

What exactly is the issue, though? The company expanded on this in an emailed response to our questions earlier this year:

A passive component in Pixel 9a didn’t meet our rigorous quality standards for device longevity and rather than ship it, we made the difficult decision to delay the on-shelf (sic) and take corrective action on the small number of affected units.

In other words, Google didn’t really identify the specific part in question. The company then compounded issues by announcing that its battery health assistance feature would be mandatory on the Pixel 9a, but optional on previously launched devices. Battery health assistance effectively builds on the foundation of previous “Battery Performance Program” updates by gradually reducing a phone’s battery capacity and charging speed in the name of long-term durability. It’s not hard to put two and two together here in the absence of a proper explanation.

This lack of transparency is deeply troubling. It would be a major breach of consumer trust if the company knowingly launched a phone with a defective battery or battery-related part and tried to sweep it under the rug.

Consumers deserve transparency over Pixel battery woes​

It’s clear that Google hasn’t adequately managed its Pixel battery issues well and is hoping you’ll forget about it. This lack of transparency is bad PR, for one. Ignoring an issue or failing to adequately communicate the problem doesn’t instill confidence in a company’s products. More importantly, this could lead to more devices catching fire. But hey, at least you can get $100 store credit (or $50 cash) to make up for your burns.

Google’s overall handling of these issues also makes me think twice about buying or recommending a Pixel phone, and I’m not the only one. Colleague Rob Triggs previously opined that he could no longer recommend Pixel phones due to these issues. Sure, this issue hasn’t affected Google’s flagship devices. But the way it handled these issues on its mid-range phones doesn’t inspire confidence that things will be better on its high-end devices.

In any event, it’s time for Google to step up and be far more transparent and proactive about its Pixel battery problems. Say what you will about Samsung, but the company did a much better job of addressing the Galaxy Note 7 saga.

 

[ThinkMe]

Yes can. I received my cash option yesterday, around 125 SGD after conversion. I also updated my pixel 6a, update took quite long, a 1GB+ update.

Hello, may I check what is the process on getting the cash option?

I have set up the Payoneer account via their links but it has been more than three weeks and I never get to see any transactions.

Email both Payoneeer and Google and both push responsibility to each other

 

[SibehHL]

Hello, may I check what is the process on getting the cash option?

I have set up the Payoneer account via their links but it has been more than three weeks and I never get to see any transactions.

Email both Payoneeer and Google and both push responsibility to each other

Same situation here...

 

[nothinghere]

I registered a payoneer account through their link (must), went back to the page that I entered IMEI and did it again, and received it in hours.

 

[ThinkMe]

I registered a payoneer account through their link (must), went back to the page that I entered IMEI and did it again, and received it in hours.

Tried to enter IMEI but was told that already registered for support.....

 

[Boltstorm]

Tried to enter IMEI but was told that already registered for support.....

Same

 

[Wormmy]

My Payoneer account was approved 2 weeks ago and have been waiting for them to credit. I went back to the page to register my IMEI again and received the email from Payoneer that they have a pending request to credit the money into the account within 30 mins. I went to log into Payoneer and saw that there is a 100 USD transaction that is pending.

 

[ThinkMe]

My Payoneer account was approved 2 weeks ago and have been waiting for them to credit. I went back to the page to register my IMEI again and received the email from Payoneer that they have a pending request to credit the money into the account within 30 mins. I went to log into Payoneer and saw that there is a 100 USD transaction that is pending.

The page as in Google that support page?

 

[limmk]

Google has messed up. For the past few months, one story keeps coming back again and again to haunt the Pixel line-up, and it’s all centered around battery woes. Specifically, something fishy around the Pixel 4a’s and 6a’s batteries, with mandatory updates, restricted battery charging, battery replacement programs, cashbacks to buy a new phone, and the odd exploding battery or two.

Throughout this entire mess, one thing has been abundantly clear: Google is trying to sweep the news or pretend it isn’t happening. No matter how often we reached out for comment or how bad the news got when the Pixel 6a, then the 7a joined the 4a in the battery-of-doom scenario, Google has remained unnervingly quiet about it all, only sharing official communication around updates and compensation.

As a Pixel user since the Pixel 2 XL in 2017, and someone who has been recommending Pixels to everyone around me (my husband has the Pixel 7 Pro, my aunt the 6 Pro, my mom the 5), this leaves me very, very confused and frustrated. My trust in Google, and in its ability to handle any hardware defect, has also plummeted to below zero. The Pixel 10 series? I’m really excited about it, but do I trust Google enough to charge its new phone on my bedside table at night? Hmmmm… not really.

The Pixel battery fiasco is a lesson in corporate ambiguity​

If you haven’t been paying close attention to Google’s Pixel battery saga, let me recap the story. It started on January 6, 2025, the first day of CES mayhem, when all eyes are on other tech news. Google slipped a notice to Pixel 4a users informing them of an unexpected Battery Performance Program update, which should’ve improved their battery performance and stability. A brief mention that some units would see the opposite effect caught our eyes, but we thought it was generous of Google to offer compensation for these affected users, especially on an out-of-warranty four-year-old phone.

If that’s all there was to it, I’d be fine, but things quickly went downhill. Pixel 4a owners started complaining about the update nuking their battery life, with some phones barely making it through a few minutes of screen-on time. We discovered that Pixel 4a units shipped with two different types of batteries — Lishen (LSN) and Amperex Technology Limited (ATL). The latter are good, the former bad. And the update had dropped the LSN’s usable battery charge by an astonishing 56%. None of that info came from Google, though, but from our internet sleuthing. A month later, the Pixel 4a was recalled entirely in Australia, with yet no explanation or commitment to do better from Google.

That wasn’t the end of Google’s battery woes, as things got even more grim. First, Google acknowledged a battery swelling issue on the Pixel 7a — no update of doom here, just an online assessment tool to know if your device is affected and offer a free battery replacement or compensation. We got one sentence that says Google has determined there was an issue; that’s it.

Soon after, several reports of Pixel 6a units catching fire started popping up, to which Google responded by rolling out another mandatory update that nerfed the 6a’s battery after 400 charge cycles and force-enabled Battery health assistance. We only learned that there was a “risk of potential battery overheating,” with no other explanation. Those affected could choose a battery replacement or a cash payout. However, even after the update, we keep hearing about Pixel 6a units catching fire.

Meanwhile, the Google Pixel 9a’s launch was delayed for a while because of a “component quality issue affecting a small number” of units. When the phone launched, we noticed that Battery health assistance was enabled out of the box. You can put two and two together.

If I were looking at one isolated incident, the damage would’ve remained contained. But one official recall, one model catching fire, another getting a swollen battery, and two receiving mandatory updates that kill the battery life… well, that adds up to many incidents and bad press. And Google’s attitude through it all has been to turn its nose up and sweep the issue under a rug with meaningless corporate phrases that avoid any real accountability or specific details about the root cause.

Google could answer all our questions, but it is keeping mum​

My colleague Hadlee said it best when he wrote that Google wants you to forget about its Pixel battery issues, but you shouldn’t. We won’t forget either. It’s our job to hold companies accountable for their screw-ups. Plus, this isn’t a one-off issue; it’s a recurring problem that hasn’t been clarified or adequately addressed. Google can throw all the vague and quiet acknowledgements, compensation money, battery replacement programs, or battery assistance updates at it, but it can’t erase the fact that something is wrong with the Pixels’ batteries.

Because of the nature of my work, I have several Pixels in a drawer in my newly bought house. No Pixel 4a or 6a, but there are several newer A series and higher-end models. Are these a fire risk when turned off, or does the issue only occur when charging and after several hundred cycles? Should I keep these and risk my home’s safety, or send them back to Google? Should I warn my mom and my aunt and tell them to switch phones? Could non-A series models be affected, too? Is that a stretch, or is it realistic to be concerned about the flagship Pixel 10 series, too? Sadly, I can’t answer any of these questions.

You know who can, though? Google. Google can easily shed light on what the issue is, which batteries are affected, which Pixel models carry those batteries, and what it’s doing as a company to mitigate this clear hardware component defect in its future phones. The money and free battery replacement are nice, but they don’t solve the trust issue. Just be transparent and tell me this isn’t a problem with the Pixel 9 series and won’t be one with the Pixel 10 series. Give me clarity so I can regain my trust and know I can charge up my future Pixel 10 in my home without it catching on fire, and so I know that the company I’m buying my product from will be on top of any potential hardware defects. That’s the bare minimum Google should do when issues creep up at such an alarming rate.

Instead, we got little more than radio silence, and my trust in Google as a serious hardware company has drastically plummeted. I’m not alone: nearly 50% of you are concerned about these battery woes and put off by the Pixel, while 63% think Google has done a poor job communicating it. And the more battery woes we discover, the more unlikely I’ll ever be to recommend Pixel phones. How can I tell anyone to buy a phone with seven years of software updates when I know the battery could be a faster ticking time bomb? And to think that I was considering upgrading my mom’s Pixel 5 to my Pixel 7a! Oh, I know better.

 

[SibehHL]

Tried to enter IMEI but was told that already registered for support.....

Same

After reading the posts above this morning, I wrote back to the Google Support person who send out "Google Support Inquiry Case-Number" with the quote and non-working link and she responded within 2 hours. Payment is now "pending" in my Payoneer account.

Suggest writing in to your responsible Goggle Support person. Possibly a case of "you don't ask you don't get".

 

[Wormmy]

The page as in Google that support page?

Yes. Link

 

[perfectlight]

so is this phone still safe to use?

 

[Boltstorm]

After reading the posts above this morning, I wrote back to the Google Support person who send out "Google Support Inquiry Case-Number" with the quote and non-working link and she responded within 2 hours. Payment is now "pending" in my Payoneer account.

Suggest writing in to your responsible Goggle Support person. Possibly a case of "you don't ask you don't get".

did the same and received the email from payoneer that the payment has been initiated

 

[ThinkMe]

After reading the posts above this morning, I wrote back to the Google Support person who send out "Google Support Inquiry Case-Number" with the quote and non-working link and she responded within 2 hours. Payment is now "pending" in my Payoneer account.

Suggest writing in to your responsible Goggle Support person. Possibly a case of "you don't ask you don't get".

Yes. Link

Yay thanks to all that help, money is in!

Sorry no buffet but internet loves for y'all!!

 

[brownkai]

Yes. Link

Thx bro... I got the money too after using ur link and yes within 24hrs got it...

 

[Boltstorm]

So what phone u guys changing to now that the 6a is pretty much on the last legs unless u opted for battery replacement?

 

[brownkai]

So what phone u guys changing to now that the 6a is pretty much on the last legs unless u opted for battery replacement?

I bought 8 pro... And I cannot believe I bought it from NTUC app... Desperately looking for replacement cos the 6a cannot last me half a day or so and many news surface Abt the phone getting burn make me worries since I need to charge 2 to 3 times a day... To be honest I still miss 6a for it's size and camera also not bad my nieces hate to use my phone for family photo taking and will immediately throw in their fruit phone to take hahah.... More than 2 yrs I about to change the battery of my 6a till this program kick in...