Google has already made it clear that some Pixel 6a users will receive a mandatory update this month that will fix an issue with the phone's battery. To get ready for the update, Google cleared all factory image files for the Pixel 6a. The last time something like this happened, Google cleared all factory images for the Pixel 4a, and within days. the Pixel 4a's battery update was released.
The Pixel 6a needs a battery update because. without one, there is a good chance that the cell on some Pixel 6a units will overheat. Google said last month that only a subset of Pixel 6a units will need the update, which will lower the capacity of the Pixel 6a's battery, and reduce its charging performance after 400 charge cycles.
When the Pixel 4a battery was recently impaired by time, Google offered users a free battery replacement, $50 payments, or a $50 discount code from the Google Store to use toward the price of any replacement device available from the online Google Store. Google called all of this the "Pixel 4a Battery Performance Program."
Like it did with the Pixel 4a, you can now see if your Pixel 6a qualifies for the Pixel 6a Battery Performance Program. Simply tap on this link and follow the directions on the screen. We first told you about this update last month and now we know exactly when the update will arrive. Google announced yesterday that the battery update for the Pixel 6a is coming July 8th, next Tuesday. Now that we know the date when it will arrive, you should know that all Pixel 6a models will receive this mandatory update.
However, those with impacted Pixel 6a models will be eligible to receive a free battery replacement at no cost, a cash payment, or a hardware discount from the Google Play Store. Google will let you know if your device qualifies as an "impacted" model. "Impacted" models will also receive a notification from Google when they have completed 375 charging cycles.
As we pointed out earlier in this article, Google cleared all of the factory images from the Pixel 6a stable and beta release pages. The Pixel 6a was also removed from the OTA files page. The only thing left for the Pixel 6a is a "Coming soon" notice on the factory images page explaining that a special battery update for the model will be coming soon.
Just in time, starting July 21st, Google is debuting walk-in battery replacements in the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Germany, Singapore, Japan, and India. There will be mail-in repair available in the U.S. and India.