Google faces backlash for second Pixel phone battery-limiting software update in 2025
By
fffrantz
10mo ago· 8 min readenNews
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Summary
Google is facing backlash for the second time in a year after announcing a software update that will degrade battery performance on older Pixel phones, following a similar move with the Pixel 4a earlier this year. The article criticizes Google's approach to planned obsolescence, highlighting how these forced updates reduce usability and battery capacity without user consent, undermining trust in Pixel devices at a time when consumers are holding onto phones longer.
Key quotes
· 3 pulledFor the second time in a year, Google has announced that it will render some of its past phones almost unusable with a software update, and users don't have any choice in the matter.
People don't upgrade phones every year anymore—longevity matters.
After nerfing the Pixel 4a's battery capacity earlier this year, Google is now doing the same to another Pixel model.
People don't upgrade phones every year anymore—longevity matters.

