I own a Pixel 6a, and I'm not happy about the whole situation for several reasons:
- The update is mandatory and instant the moment it is received. You don't get a choice in the matter.
- The only reason I am aware of my battery being nerfed is because I had read this article and because I paid attention during the update. There is no clear indication after the update that they might have nerfed my battery life.
- Google is not communicating clearly whether my phone is one of the so-called "affected devices". There is a tool that allows you to check "eligibility", but it only reports eligibility for a refund. My phone is not eligible for a refund, so does that mean my phone is not an "affected device"? It doesn't say.
- After calling support Im not much wiser. All they told me is that "if my phone gets warm sometimes, or the battery drains too fast" that might mean my device is affected. But clearly they should know whether my device is affected otherwise they wouldn't be able to determine whether I'm eligible for the refund.
This is also not the first time Google burned me with a bad quality battery. This just strengthens my resolve that my next phone won't be a Pixel. Which is a shame, because I like these phones otherwise.
The Fairphone is looking quite interesting.