The Android operating system plans to include information about devices' battery health by default. An analysis of the code for the latest Pixel smartphone update reveals that Google has already begun integrating the basic elements for displaying this data.
Pixel smartphones continue to receive new features independent of major Android updates, known as Pixel Features Drops. The December 2023 update introduced a new page in Settings that provides detailed battery information. On this page, users can check the battery's manufacturing date and the number of charging cycles it has gone through.
It's not yet possible to see the battery health status directly on Android, but it looks like that will change soon. The new feature is already in Android 14 QPR2 beta 2, with “QPR” being the technical term for intermediate system updates, which bring specific improvements to Pixel devices.
Android 14 now includes the necessary APIs to access battery information. The next step is to implement existing features into the system so that this information can be displayed on the status page.
Until now, Android does not provide the ability to check specific details about battery health. The system only indicates whether the battery is in good condition or not. In contrast, competing systems, such as iOS 11.3 on the iPhone from 2018, already feature this functionality.
Currently, to get an estimate of battery health on Android, you have to resort to third-party apps like AccuBattery.
Battery health is a metric that indicates the percentage of original capacity that is still preserved. For better understanding, if a device has a battery with a nominal capacity of 5000 mAh and the battery health is 80%, this means that, in practice, it is only able to store 4000 mAh.
Like other electronic components, batteries wear out over time due to charge and discharge cycles. The battery health indicator is useful in determining if it is time to seek technical assistance and replace the battery with a new one. Replacement is generally recommended when battery health drops below 70%. This means that the storage capacity has been severely compromised, affecting the overall performance of the device. Therefore, by regularly monitoring battery health, users can make informed maintenance decisions and ensure proper performance of their mobile devices.
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