Pixel 4a Is Being Recalled, And We Finally Learn About Its Serious Battery Risk
David Imel / Android Authority
TL;DR
- Australia’s regulatory agency has recalled the Pixel 4a over a battery overheating risk.
- This is the first time we’re learning why Google rushed out the Pixel 4a’s Battery Performance Program update, as the company chose to remain vague in its announcement post.
The Pixel 4a had a great run as a legendary budget Android smartphone of its era, but it met a rather cruel end. Google recently rolled out the Pixel 4a Battery Performance Program update that massively downgraded the battery experience, practically killing the device for people still using it. Now, the Pixel 4a is being recalled in Australia, and we finally have more information on what went wrong. Unsurprisingly, the cause appears to be battery overheating risks.
The Pixel 4’a “update of death”
Google pitched the Pixel 4a’s Battery Performance Program update as one that brought over new battery management features to “improve the stability of your battery’s performance.”
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.
The wording is quite vague, and reading just the announcement post wouldn’t give you any clue about what is happening.
When users received the update, they were shocked to find that their phone lasted for just a few minutes before its battery drained out, which was somewhat underplayed in the announcement post. Google even removed all older software updates for the device from its website, a rare move from the company.
The announcement post also lacked technical details or addressed the actual problem with the Pixel 4a’s battery. We eventually discovered that Google reduced the maximum voltage of batteries supplied by battery vendor Lishen (LSN) from 4.45V to 3.95V. This may not seem much on the surface, but the update essentially translates into a 56% drop in charging capacity! The update also showed signs of being rushed out the gate as soon as Google could do it.
Australia issues recall notice for the Pixel 4a
So, what happened? Google still hasn’t shared further details. However, the Australian Competition & Consumer Commission has now issued a recall for the Pixel 4a. The recall notice mentions the following details:
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 is the first time we’re getting to the actual reason for the Pixel 4a’s Battery Performance Program update. Google’s original announcement post does not mention any “overheating” risks. It doesn’t even mention the word “heat” outside of generic advice to users not to heat their batteries as a means of disposal.
The recall notice urges consumers to check if their device has received the firmware update. It also reiterates that consumers can submit a request to find out if their device is impacted and if they are eligible for an appeasement from Google. It notes that not all Pixel 4a devices are affected, which was known previously.
We’ve reached out again to Google for a statement on the Pixel 4a’s battery overheating risks. We’ll keep you updated when we learn more.
Got a tip? Talk to us! Email our staff at [email protected]. You can stay anonymous or get credit for the info, it’s your choice.
