Google releasing new Pixel 4a update, some eligible for free battery replacement

Google has reached out to Pixel 4a owners today about an upcoming software update that will “improve the stability of their battery’s performance.” This is part of a “Pixel 4a Battery Performance Program.”

The Pixel 4a stopped receiving monthly updates in August of 2023. Google is rolling this new OTA, which is still based on Android 13, starting on January 8, 2025.

This release “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.” 

All Pixel 4a phones will get this update, but “not all Pixel 4a devices are impacted by the reduction in battery capacity and charging performance.” (No other models, like the Pixel 4a 5G, are impacted.)

Google is offering a free battery replacement for affected Pixel 4a owners. You can check if your phone is eligible here.

Battery replacement is available at walk-in repair centers in the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Germany, Singapore, and India. Mail-in repair is also available for customers in the United States. Battery replacement is only available in eligible locations and while battery supplies last. For more details about eligibility, review criteria here.

For those that cannot get a battery replacement, your options are:

• $50 USD (or local equivalent) payment.
• $100 USD (or local equivalent) Google hardware discount code applicable towards the purchase of another Pixel phone on the Google Store (as available).

Those who are eligible “will have one year from the initial software release on January 8, 2025 to register and make a choice of one of the three appeasement options.”

Updating…