Continued Fire Incidents with Google Pixel 6a Despite Safety Update
Google Pixel 6a smartphones have continued to catch fire, even after the implementation of Google’s mandatory battery safety update. This raises serious concerns about the effectiveness of the company’s software-based solution. The most recent incident happened in late July, as reported by a Reddit user. Their Pixel 6a ignited while they were asleep, despite having installed the Battery Performance Program update that was designed to prevent such incidents.
Google rolled out the mandatory Android 16 update in July. This update was designed to throttle battery capacity and charging speeds after 400 charge cycles. It specifically targeted certain Pixel 6a models identified as having overheating risks. However, at least five Pixel 6a units have now caught fire. One of these incidents occurred post-update, suggesting that the software fix may not be sufficient to address the underlying hardware issue.
The company has established a Battery Performance Program offering affected users three options:
- Free battery replacement
- $100 cash compensation
- $150 in Google Store credit
Australia’s consumer protection agency issued an official warning about the devices. However, they stopped short of ordering a recall. They stated that the firmware update adequately addresses safety concerns. This marks the second major battery issue for Google’s A-series phones this year. It follows similar problems with the Pixel 4a that led to an official recall in Australia.
The incidents have prompted safety experts to question whether software limitations alone can adequately address battery defects that pose fire and injury risks to users.
Source: Android Authority