Pixel 4a Battery Performance Program: Difference between revisions

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=== Editing of Initial Announcement ===

By January 15, 2025 the following edit had been inserted into the original January 6 announcement:<blockquote>'''"Note:''' Carefully select your appeasement option as after you choose, you can't change it.

By January 15, 2025 the following edit had been inserted into the original January 6 announcement:<blockquote>'''"Note:''' Carefully select your appeasement option as after you choose, you can't change it. You may have statutory rights available to you under laws of the country where you purchased the device. If available to you, you may alternatively make a claim pursuant to those."<ref>January 7, 2025, via the Wayback Machine: https://web.archive.org/web/20250107002112/https://support.google.com/pixelphone/answer/15701861

You may have statutory rights available to you under laws of the country where you purchased the device. If available to you, you may alternatively make a claim pursuant to those."<ref>January 7, 2025, via the Wayback Machine: https://web.archive.org/web/20250107002112/https://support.google.com/pixelphone/answer/15701861

January 15, 2025, via the Wayback Machine: https://web.archive.org/web/20250115045948/https://support.google.com/pixelphone/answer/15701861</ref></blockquote>

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# This update is an automatic update '''users can not opt''' out of.

#* While the update can be circumvented, it requires technical knowledge of Android phones, which an average user does not have.

# Google's '''communication''' on what the problem with "Impacted Devices" is and how the update seeks to remedy it '''has been vague'''.<ref>https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2025/01/good-news-bad-news-pixel-4a-is-getting-an-update-but-it-reduces-battery-life/</ref>

#* ~~While there is widespread speculation about~~ a ~~battery manufacturing fault~~, Google has ~~yet~~ to ~~comment on the issue~~.<ref ~~name=":1"~~>https://www.~~theverge~~.com/~~2025~~/1/7/~~24338566~~/~~google~~-~~pixel-4a~~-battery-~~stability~~-~~replacement~~-~~reduced~~-~~capacity~~</ref> As of January 29, 2025, the TSA (Transportation Security Administration), which has banned hazardous devices such as the ~~[[Samsung]] Galaxy~~ Note 7 in the past, allows the Pixel 4a to be taken onto an airplane like any other cell phone.<ref>https://www.tsa.gov/travel/security-screening/whatcanibring/all-list</ref> ~~This indicates that on~~ an ~~official level~~, the ~~Pixel 4a~~'s battery ~~is considered safe.~~

#* As Google has not publicly commented on the issue, '''users have been left to speculate''' on what the intent behind the update could be.

# The $50 USD compensation is to be paid out through Payoneer, which may charge the user an '''account fee of 29.95 USD''' if 12 months pass without the user receiving an equivalent of 2,000.00 USD in payments.<ref>https://payoneer.custhelp.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/43738/~/annual-account-fee</ref>

#* According to an image posted by a user who opted for mail-in repair, the shipping box provided by Google has "DAMAGED/DEFECTIVE LITHIUM ION BATTERY(S)" written on it along with "Forbidden to transport by aircraft".<ref>https://www.reddit.com/r/Pixel4a/comments/1hxyp6z/certainly_seems_battery_defectrelated_vs_planned/</ref> It is unknown whether this is standard procedure for battery-related mail-in repair. The shipping box bears similarities to the ones used to recall the [[Samsung]] Galaxy Note 7, a product line notorious for its hazardous battery manufacturing fault.<ref>https://www.cultofmac.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/Note-7-return-kit.png</ref> As of January 29, 2025, the TSA (Transportation Security Administration), which has banned hazardous devices such as the Note 7 in the past, allows the Pixel 4a to be taken onto an airplane like any other cell phone.<ref>https://www.tsa.gov/travel/security-screening/whatcanibring/all-list</ref>

#* Other users have accused Google of intentionally degrading the performance of an older product to push customers to buy new phones, noting similarities to the [[Apple]] iPhone's "batterygate" scandal in 2017.<ref>https://www.theverge.com/2025/1/7/24338566/google-pixel-4a-battery-stability-replacement-reduced-capacity</ref>

# The $50 USD compensation is to be paid out through Payoneer, which requires the user to sign up with personal information (social security number, bank details, etc. depending on region) and may charge the user an '''account fee of 29.95 USD''' if 12 months pass without the user receiving an equivalent of 2,000.00 USD in payments.<ref>https://payoneer.custhelp.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/43738/~/annual-account-fee</ref>

# The $100 USD '''coupon code cannot be used in conjunction with other coupon codes or sales.''' <ref>https://www.reddit.com/r/Pixel4a/comments/1i2zz4g/100_google_store_voucher_code_cannot_be_combined/</ref>

# Some users have reported that their phone's '''battery is capped despite changing their batteries''' either before or after the update.<ref>https://www.reddit.com/r/Pixel4a/comments/1i1e4ds/i_have_replaced_battery_in_a_local_shop_not/

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https://www.reddit.com/r/Pixel4a/comments/1i2xm7c/i_change_my_battery_a_month_before_the_upgrade/</ref>

# Some users have accused Google of intentionally degrading the performance of an older product to push consumers to buy new phones (see: [[Planned Obsolescence]]), noting similarities to the [[Apple]] iPhone's "batterygate" scandal in 2017.<ref name=":1" />

~~== See Also ==~~

* [[Planned Obsolescence]]

== References ==

[[Category:Incidents]]

@@ Line 18: / Line 18: @@
 === Editing of Initial Announcement ===
-By January 15, 2025 the following edit had been inserted into the original January 6 announcement:<blockquote>'''"Note:''' Carefully select your appeasement option as after you choose, you can't change it.
+By January 15, 2025 the following edit had been inserted into the original January 6 announcement:<blockquote>'''"Note:''' Carefully select your appeasement option as after you choose, you can't change it. You may have statutory rights available to you under laws of the country where you purchased the device. If available to you, you may alternatively make a claim pursuant to those."<ref>January 7, 2025, via the Wayback Machine: https://web.archive.org/web/20250107002112/https://support.google.com/pixelphone/answer/15701861
-You may have statutory rights available to you under laws of the country where you purchased the device. If available to you, you may alternatively make a claim pursuant to those."<ref>January 7, 2025, via the Wayback Machine: https://web.archive.org/web/20250107002112/https://support.google.com/pixelphone/answer/15701861
 January 15, 2025, via the Wayback Machine: https://web.archive.org/web/20250115045948/https://support.google.com/pixelphone/answer/15701861</ref></blockquote>
@@ Line 33: / Line 31: @@
 # This update is an automatic update '''users can not opt''' out of.
+#* While the update can be circumvented, it requires technical knowledge of Android phones, which an average user does not have.
 # Google's '''communication''' on what the problem with "Impacted Devices" is and how the update seeks to remedy it '''has been vague'''.<ref>https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2025/01/good-news-bad-news-pixel-4a-is-getting-an-update-but-it-reduces-battery-life/</ref>
-#* While there is widespread speculation about a battery manufacturing fault, Google has yet to comment on the issue.<ref name=":1">https://www.theverge.com/2025/1/7/24338566/google-pixel-4a-battery-stability-replacement-reduced-capacity</ref> As of January 29, 2025, the TSA (Transportation Security Administration), which has banned hazardous devices such as the [[Samsung]] Galaxy Note 7 in the past, allows the Pixel 4a to be taken onto an airplane like any other cell phone.<ref>https://www.tsa.gov/travel/security-screening/whatcanibring/all-list</ref> This indicates that on an official level, the Pixel 4a's battery is considered safe.
+#* As Google has not publicly commented on the issue, '''users have been left to speculate''' on what the intent behind the update could be.
-# The $50 USD compensation is to be paid out through Payoneer, which may charge the user an '''account fee of 29.95 USD''' if 12 months pass without the user receiving an equivalent of 2,000.00 USD in payments.<ref>https://payoneer.custhelp.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/43738/~/annual-account-fee</ref>
+#* According to an image posted by a user who opted for mail-in repair, the shipping box provided by Google has "DAMAGED/DEFECTIVE LITHIUM ION BATTERY(S)" written on it along with "Forbidden to transport by aircraft".<ref>https://www.reddit.com/r/Pixel4a/comments/1hxyp6z/certainly_seems_battery_defectrelated_vs_planned/</ref> It is unknown whether this is standard procedure for battery-related mail-in repair. The shipping box bears similarities to the ones used to recall the [[Samsung]] Galaxy Note 7, a product line notorious for its hazardous battery manufacturing fault.<ref>https://www.cultofmac.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/Note-7-return-kit.png</ref> As of January 29, 2025, the TSA (Transportation Security Administration), which has banned hazardous devices such as the Note 7 in the past, allows the Pixel 4a to be taken onto an airplane like any other cell phone.<ref>https://www.tsa.gov/travel/security-screening/whatcanibring/all-list</ref>
+#* Other users have accused Google of intentionally degrading the performance of an older product to push customers to buy new phones, noting similarities to the [[Apple]] iPhone's "batterygate" scandal in 2017.<ref>https://www.theverge.com/2025/1/7/24338566/google-pixel-4a-battery-stability-replacement-reduced-capacity</ref>
+# The $50 USD compensation is to be paid out through Payoneer, which requires the user to sign up with personal information (social security number, bank details, etc. depending on region) and may charge the user an '''account fee of 29.95 USD''' if 12 months pass without the user receiving an equivalent of 2,000.00 USD in payments.<ref>https://payoneer.custhelp.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/43738/~/annual-account-fee</ref>
 # The $100 USD '''coupon code cannot be used in conjunction with other coupon codes or sales.''' <ref>https://www.reddit.com/r/Pixel4a/comments/1i2zz4g/100_google_store_voucher_code_cannot_be_combined/</ref><!-- We need to get a more reputable source than a Reddit thread for this eventually. -->
 # Some users have reported that their phone's '''battery is capped despite changing their batteries''' either before or after the update.<ref>https://www.reddit.com/r/Pixel4a/comments/1i1e4ds/i_have_replaced_battery_in_a_local_shop_not/
@@ Line 42: / Line 43: @@
 https://www.reddit.com/r/Pixel4a/comments/1i2xm7c/i_change_my_battery_a_month_before_the_upgrade/</ref><!-- Again, we need a better source. Ongoing situation, so someone will write about it eventually, I assume. -->
-# Some users have accused Google of intentionally degrading the performance of an older product to push consumers to buy new phones (see: [[Planned Obsolescence]]), noting similarities to the [[Apple]] iPhone's "batterygate" scandal in 2017.<ref name=":1" />
-== See Also ==
-* [[Planned Obsolescence]]<!-- Make this article -->
 == References ==
 <references />
 [[Category:Incidents]]