Longevity of Mobile Devices and Battery Wear
Many people wish for their mobile devices to last as long as possible. Unfortunately, specific components deteriorate over time, with the battery being one of the most problematic parts. With age and repeated charging cycles, a cell loses its original properties, leading to a shorter working time for devices. Soon, Android devices will inform users when the battery needs replacing.
Upcoming Android Features for Battery Health Management
A series of features related to smartphone and tablet batteries are heading to the Android operating system. We will soon be able to see the condition of our battery as well as other important statistics that will help us consider if it’s time to replace the battery.
Discoveries in Google Pixel Feature Drop Update
The new functionalities were noticed in the December update for Google Pixel 8 Pro smartphones (Pixel Feature Drop), which are based on Android version 14. A new tab appeared in the settings menu (About phone -> Battery Information) showing the date of manufacture of the battery and individual charging cycles. This is made possible by newly introduced API interfaces through which the system monitors the battery status from the start. Other statistics are also available, but one of the most important features was only found in the beta version of the system.
Battery Health Feature in Android 14 QPR2 Beta 2
A new tab named “Battery Health” is available in the latest version of Android 14 QPR2 Beta 2. However, it is deactivated by default and must be manually enabled. This is where a feature familiar to iPhone users will appear, informing us of the battery’s percentage health (although at the moment the information is not yet displayed). There is also a feature that will allow the re-calibration of the battery. There is a possibility that Android will also introduce information about the battery’s serial number and its status, although this is uncertain, so the news should be taken with a grain of skepticism:
- Unsupported – the device does not recognize the replaced battery
- Original – equipment with a factory, never-replaced cell
- Replaced – device with a replaced battery
Anticipation for Android 15’s Release
It is expected that the new features concerning “Battery Health” will be introduced to all with the debut of Android 15.
Source: Android Authority
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