Pixel 4a users itching to sue Google for making the phone unusable
Earlier this month, Google announced a surprise update for the Pixel 4a. The company informed users that the update would address battery performance stability and also warned that it might shorten battery life. Impacted users are furious, complaining their battery life was hit harder than they anticipated.
Though Google had already told users that their phones would last a shorter time between charges, most users were not expecting the update to kill the battery life. According to affected users, their Pixel 4a units are nearly unusable after the update, whereas before they would last a day.
A couple of workarounds have been recommended to stop what is now being referred to as the forced battery update. Some users are trying to block their phones from downloading the update. Others have recommended downgrading to Android 12 to reverse the changes.
Google had foreseen this reaction and offered to either replace the battery for free or give a $100 credit toward a new Pixel phone. However, as some Pixel 4a users have learned, the solution is not so straightforward.
For starters, if you go to get your battery replaced and Google discovers your phone needs other repairs as well, you will be required to get everything fixed. And since Google has only promised a free battery, you will have to pay for everything else.
Another problem that some people have run into is that not all stores have the Pixel 4a's battery in stock. The situation is even worse for customers from countries with no official Google presence.
Users are understandably furious. The Pixel 4a is one of Google's best phones to date and it was holding up fine for many owners five years after its release until the latest update wrecked everything. On top of that, Google is refusing to replace batteries until users agree to pay it to address other issues as well.
And while the $100 credit might sound generous, the offer doesn't seem so tempting when you consider the fact that you'll still have to pony up at least $399 to upgrade to a new Google phone.
This is borderline SCAM that made my beloved phone unusable. Until now I wanted to upgrade from 4a to upcoming 9a. Not happening after this. I hope they get sued for this.
Recent-Somewhere-360, Reddit user, January 2025
God I'm so upset about this. I love love love my pixel, it's the perfect size, I know every little quirk about it, it has been awesome until this update.
I hope it's a huge lawsuit. Planned and forced obsolescence is absolutely evil.
I hate that the wording was like "this will help the longevity of your battery", oh, so now I can only use my phone for extremely brief periods and pray to God I didn't forget a phone charger wherever I'm going?
This baby used to last me all day and then some, up until the update.awwwww_hereitgoes, Reddit user, January 2025
Some have also accused Google of being misleading, as the company had said that the update would improve the stability of the Pixel 4a's battery’s performance.
i just came from the pixel reddit to this one so I can complain. I am DEVASTATED about this I literally BRAGGED about how well the pixel held up and how it could withstand all this wear and tear. I WAS RECOMMENDING IT TO PEOPLE WHO WERE LOOKING FOR A PHONE. I am soo upset and I know this a money-grabbing scam because EVERYONE who is getting it fixed is saying whether it didn't work or it fucked up their screen. I just don't understand why they wouldn't warn us about the update before just initiating it. Can we sue them or get compensation? Please let me know.
oh_iforgot, Reddit user, January 2025
I sent mine in for this. They wouldn't give me the free battery without charging me $90 to replace the screen.
All_Work_All_Play, Reddit user, January 2025
Regarding the recent update that completely ruined the Pixel 4a battery. All of the Google official phone fixing stores near me do not even have the needed battery in stock for replacement program, and it may take weeks to get a battery and appointment.
User 4159128751644868979, January 2025
And while the $100 credit might sound generous, the offer doesn't seem so tempting when you consider the fact that you'll still have to pony up at least $399 to upgrade to a new Google phone.
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