More info on pixel 4a battery nerf by Google (social.treehouse.systems)
from mesamunefire@lemmy.world to linux@lemmy.ml on 30 Jan 2025 00:09
https://lemmy.world/post/24895908

#linux

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yggstyle@lemmy.world on 30 Jan 2025 00:35 next collapse

This is purely conjecture on my part but if I were a gambling man I’d say that this is an attempt to insulate a potential issue with a bad batch of cells. A bad battery charge that forces you onto another phone is probably better than a repeat of the Samsung battery issue. In essence it’s a sneaky recall without the bad press.

I can’t really come up with another reason that they’d be doing that.

catloaf@lemm.ee on 30 Jan 2025 01:09 next collapse

Yeah that’s the general consensus

PetteriPano@lemmy.world on 30 Jan 2025 05:44 next collapse

They are offering a free battery swap if you are affected. Or $50. Or $100 off a new phone.

Sounds like they’re picking the cheap route out of a full recall on a pretty old phone.

datendefekt@feddit.org on 30 Jan 2025 05:56 collapse

So happy RN that I installed CalyxOS on my daughters phone. Um… but that means it might explode in her hands?

yggstyle@lemmy.world on 30 Jan 2025 07:31 collapse

It might be worth looking into what the affected serial # range is. From what I’ve seen / read (anecdotal) batteries are under the most stress when fast charging: you could reduce risk using lower wattage chargers in all likelihood… but I’d definitely explore all your options.

mesamunefire@lemmy.world on 30 Jan 2025 16:35 collapse

Yeah you don’t want spicy pillows!

Teppichbrand@feddit.org on 30 Jan 2025 06:01 next collapse

I have been buying second hand Pixels 4a’s for my family. To me, they’re the perfect phones. I put LineageOS with MicroG on them and use them without Google. I logged in my throwaway Google account to check if some of the IMEI qualify me for a battery swap, but it gives me an error when I enter an IMEI. Do you guys have an idea why this might happen? I’d love to get new batteries for free in them and use them another 6 years or so.

redxef@feddit.org on 30 Jan 2025 08:36 next collapse

Seems like I have an affected device. No thanks to google for helping me figure that out. Their useless page shows no information regarding that. Had to look at the serial number of the battery: sudo cat /sys/class/power_supply/battery/serial_number. Which contains the string from the mastodon post.

Now, I have a custom ROM, so that means I won’t suffer degraded battery capacity, it just might be dangerous to continue to use my phone.

merthyr1831@lemmy.ml on 30 Jan 2025 12:04 collapse

The Linux kernel is nuts to think that MIT are the only bad actors to have ever shipped malicious code to them. Random corporate devs can break the GPL on a regular basis whilst receiving no oversight yet this wont be stopped at all

Either sort your shit out or move it out of the Linux source tree. It’s a travesty that we’re accepting so much shoddy engineering just because it comes from corporate donors