4 min read
The Pixel 4a was widely recognized as an outstanding budget-friendly Android device of its time, earning praise for its value and performance. However, its journey has come to an unfortunate and abrupt end. Google recently introduced the Pixel 4a Battery Performance Program update, which significantly impacted battery performance, rendering the device nearly unusable for those who still relied on it. Now, the Pixel 4a has been officially recalled in Australia, shedding light on the issue at hand. As many had suspected, the problem stems from battery overheating risks.
The Pixel 4a’s “update of death”
Google initially presented the Pixel 4a Battery Performance Program update as an improvement, claiming it would introduce new battery management features to ensure “the stability of your battery’s performance.” However, the update led to drastic changes in battery functionality.
“For some devices (‘Impacted Devices’), the update includes new battery management features to improve the stability of your battery’s performance, so the battery may last for shorter periods between charges. Users of Impacted Devices may also notice other changes, like reduced charging performance or changes to how the battery-level indicator on your phone shows your battery capacity.”
At first glance, the announcement seemed ambiguous, failing to clearly communicate the impact of the changes. Users were unaware that the update would severely degrade their phone’s battery life.
Once the update was installed, many were stunned to find their devices shutting down within minutes due to extreme battery drain a consequence that had not been explicitly disclosed in the announcement. Making matters worse, Google took an unusual step by removing all previous software updates for the Pixel 4a from its website, preventing users from rolling back to earlier versions.
Another key omission in Google’s announcement was the lack of technical details regarding the battery performance downgrade. However, it was later discovered that Google had lowered the maximum voltage of Pixel 4a batteries supplied by vendor Lishen (LSN), reducing it from 4.45V to 3.95V. While this may appear to be a minor adjustment, the change resulted in a massive 56% drop in battery capacity.
Additionally, signs indicate that the update may have been rushed out hastily rather than following a carefully planned release process.
Australia issues recall notice for the Pixel 4a
Despite the significant impact of the update, Google has remained silent on further technical explanations. However, the Australian Competition & Consumer Commission (ACCC) has now issued an official recall for the Pixel 4a, revealing critical details about the risks involved.
According to the recall notice, the issue stems from an automatic firmware update released on January 8, 2025, in Australia. The firmware update was designed to introduce new battery management features intended to “mitigate the risk of overheating.”
“An automatic firmware update to Android 13 was rolled out to Pixel 4a devices in Australia on 8 January 2025. The firmware update provides new battery management features to mitigate the risk of overheating.
An overheating battery could pose a risk of fire and/or burns to a user.”
This marks the first time an official document has linked the Battery Performance Program update to overheating risks. Surprisingly, Google’s original announcement did not mention overheating at all. In fact, the word “heat” only appeared in a general battery safety disclaimer rather than as a warning related to the update’s impact.
The recall notice advises users to check if their Pixel 4a has received the affected firmware update. It also states that some devices are not impacted, confirming earlier reports that the issue is limited to certain batches. Additionally, the recall offers affected users the option to submit a request to determine their device’s eligibility for compensation from Google.
For now, Google has not provided an official response regarding the overheating risks tied to the Pixel 4a’s battery issues. Further updates will be shared as more information becomes available.
