Smartphone features have become out of control over the last few years. From foldable displays to advanced camera operation, the average device is equipped with enough functionality to keep even the most seasoned users busy for quite a while. However, there is one feature that trumps them all. A feature that is so important, you literally cannot use your smartphone without it — the battery life.
Unfortunately, Google simply hasn’t seen it that way over the last few years, depriving the Pixel lineup of enough battery power to compete with other options on the market. The worst part is that battery life isn’t consistently bad for everyone using Pixel phones or in every situation — it’s that, unlike many other phones, you can’t always rely on consistent battery drain.
That’s why with the Pixel 9 coming up this year, Google actually has a chance to right a years-long wrong that could be pushing users away. After all, the likes of Samsung, OnePlus, and even Motorola have been great when it comes to battery life, so why can’t Google keep up?
Google Pixel battery woes
The smartphone has never been known to last very long
The inconsistent battery problems for the Pixel have been well-known over the years, which is quite frustrating given the battery sizes are actually quite impressive compared to competitors. In fact, between the similarly sized Samsung Galaxy S24 (4000 mAh), the Asus Zenfone 10 (4300 mAh), and the Pixel 8, Google’s device has the biggest battery by quite a bit at 4575 mAh.
So why the poor battery life? While it’s hard to say for sure without getting hired at Google yourself, it’s likely due to the fact that the Pixel lineup takes a lax approach to battery optimization. More specifically, it doesn’t interrupt background processes for the apps on the device as aggressively as others do. This may lead to fewer unexpectedly interrupted background operations, which in itself is good, but it can have a notable negative impact on standby battery life in the long run.
If we look at the other side of the fence, iPhones consistently have smaller batteries than the average Android phone, and their battery life is often better than Android phones with similar hardware. While the comparison isn’t entirely fair, and we’d need a more nuanced discussion on this topic, the takeaway is that a careful synergy of hardware and software can achieve wonders for battery life. That’s something that Google should be in the position to achieve with its semi-custom Tensor chipsets, co-produced help from Samsung.
Unfortunately, even the third-generation Google Tensor chip doesn’t seem to be helping out with the inconsistencies, regardless of the battery size. Many users have reported that the device heats up when used with poor mobile connections, and that battery life is a huge drain in those moments. Granted, our Pixel 8 review found it better than its predecessor, but other Android devices across the pricing spectrum are simply often lasting longer, more predictably, and run cooler than the Tensor-equipped phones.
Since Tensor chips are largely based on Samsung Exynos chips, complete with Exynos modems, many people blame Samsung’s lackluster quality for a lot of the problems and are eagerly waiting for Google to switch to fully custom chips. After all, Samsung itself was apparently not happy with its foundry’s work and moved away from its own Exynos chips in the Samsung Galaxy S23 globally last year.
The light at the end of the tunnel is visible, though. Samsung switched back to its new Exynos 2400 chip in many regions for the Galaxy S24 this year, and international reviewers have noted that there are barely any performance differences noticeable in everyday life when using devices running the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 or the Exynos 2400.
Rumors currently say that Google will switch to an Exynos 2400-based design for the upcoming Tensor G4, which should power the Pixel 9 this year. While this doesn’t necessarily mean anything, we can only hope that the processor and modem are more efficient than its predecessors, providing a more reliable battery life in the process. And there is even more to look forward to: Google is rumored to switch to fully custom chips next year with the Pixel 10, manufactured in TSMC foundries, which may bring yet another performance and battery boost to its lineup.
Give the people what they want
Battery life is the most important feature for smartphone users
Mobile phones have been around for a few decades now, and battery life has always been a sticking point. Whether you’re an 80s businessperson hooking up your shoe-sized device to your car to get a charge or a Gen Z influencer asking the bartender if they have a charger next to the maraschino cherries and blue cheese olives, it’s hard out there for people that use smartphones with bad battery life.
Google’s refusal to accommodate for this makes even less sense when you realize how obvious of a problem it is. While anecdotal evidence shouldn’t influence a big company to do anything, there are plenty of studies, surveys, and statistics that show the value of prioritizing battery life. Heck, one from Statista found that 71% of users believe battery life to be the most important feature, beyond durability (61%) and camera quality (48%).
You might think that Google is perhaps focusing less on battery life and more on affordability, but you would be wrong there, too. In fact, Google has been increasing the price of its budget devices over the years, potentially pricing the Pixel out of the budget market if it isn’t careful. Improved battery life might make up for it, but with Samsung churning out more affordable phones with 5000 mAh batteries like it’s their job, it’s hard to believe Google could keep up.
Google is pricing itself out of the budget smartphone market
Despite competitive prices across the industry, Google keeps raising the price of the Pixel A-series
Either way, the reality is the Pixel lineup simply isn’t keeping up with the industry as far as battery life is concerned, and it’s only a matter of time before their inability to make their phones last longer than a day makes buyers look elsewhere. The Pixel 9 needs to be Google’s saving grace.
