Google offers free battery replacement to some Pixel 4a owners affected by impending software update

Google is offering a free battery replacement for Pixel 4a owners. This surprising development was first reported by some users that received an email from the company advising them of this new option. This, according to the email that was sent, is a necessary measure to mitigate an issue the company knows will already happen once the device is updated to Android 13.

The Pixel 4a, released in 2020, was Google's budget-friendly phone offering. It was praised for its camera and clean Android experience. However, it seems like an upcoming software update to Android 13 will introduce battery management features that, instead of helping, will actually negatively impact the battery performance of this device in particular. This update is currently scheduled to begin its rollout on January 8th, 2025.

In order to get ahead of the problem, Google is offering free battery replacements to those with affected units. Some Pixel 4a users have already been beta testing Android 13 on their devices and have reported that the update practically makes their device unusable. It's possible that these reports are what has prompted Google to take advanced action.

However, not all Google Pixel 4a devices, such as the Pixel 4a 5G, are affected and eligible to get a free battery. To check if your phone is eligible for a free battery replacement, you can visit Google's support website, where Google has set up a tool to check your phone's status by inputting its International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) number. If your phone is eligible, you can get your battery replaced at a walk-in repair center or through mail-in repair.

If you're not eligible for a free battery replacement, you're not necessarily ending up empty-handed either. Google is offering a $50 USD payment or a $100 USD Google hardware discount code. This can be used towards the purchase of another Pixel phone on the Google Store.

This is a great move by Google to support Pixel 4a owners. Even thought the device is currently way past its support window, it's good to see that the company will do right by those that purchased it and held on to it. The fact that Google is taking responsibility in advance for this issue and offering a solution to the affected users, definitely gives me more confidence in the Pixel brand.