Google’s Pixel smartphones combine great hardware with the most advanced Android features, including access to bleeding-edge beta updates. Lately, though, there’s been a growing elephant in the room: Battery reliability, especially on the A series. From the Pixel 4a’s “update of death” to the Pixel 6a’s inconsistent battery performance, power problems are becoming harder to ignore.
Now, Google may be preparing to clamp down further, with an upcoming change to its Battery Health Assistance (BHA) system that could force users into stricter battery management — without their say (Source: AssembleDebug for Android Authority).
More safety, less control
An update sure to inspire mixed feelings
An APK teardown of Google’s Settings Services app version v1.1.0771997146 hints at a policy shift that could affect how Pixels handle aging batteries. Specifically, the code changes suggest that Battery Health Assistance may soon become mandatory on devices once battery degradation passes a certain threshold. That means no turning it off until you replace the battery.
For context, BHA is a suite of features introduced with the Pixel 9a, designed to preserve long-term battery life by limiting max voltage and charging speeds. The idea is to extend the usable lifespan of your battery and prevent damage. But there’s a catch: it also results in slower charging and reduced battery capacity over time. That’s a tough pill to swallow for anyone already struggling with poor endurance.
Until now, BHA has been optional on older Pixel models, but that might be changing. One updated string in the new APK explicitly states, “Battery health assistance cannot be changed until the battery is replaced.” That’s a big shift from the previous messaging, which allowed users to opt out of the feature.
The current code stating you can’t adjust the feature:
string name=”pulsar_summary_unavailable” Unavailable
string name=”pulsar_footer_title_unavailable” Battery health assistance is unavailable.
What the APK teardown revealed is in the works:
string name=”pulsar_summary_unavailable” Unavailable until battery is replaced
string name=”pulsar_footer_title_unavailable” Battery health assistance cannot be changed until the battery is replaced. As your battery ages, you may notice slight changes in charging performance and battery capacity. Batteries are consumable components and replacement is recommended for aged batteries.
If accurate, this would mark a subtle but significant change in how Google handles battery aging: essentially locking users into reduced performance profiles unless they shell out for a battery replacement, which isn’t always easy or affordable, especially for midrange Pixel A series owners.
The reasoning here isn’t entirely misguided. Lithium-ion batteries degrade, and some of Google’s recent devices have had trouble managing that gracefully. BHA could help avoid future “update of death” scenarios by proactively managing voltage, even if it feels a bit heavy-handed.
To be clear, this feature isn’t live yet, and there’s no official word from Google. APK teardowns often highlight in-development features that may never ship. But with Pixel battery woes mounting, it wouldn’t be surprising if Google made BHA enforcement standard.
