Google Limits Android Battery Health Indicator to Latest Pixel Devices

In a move that has drawn criticism from longtime Pixel users, Google has confirmed that its new Android 16 battery health indicator will only be available on the Pixel 8A and newer devices, excluding earlier models like the Pixel 6 and Pixel 8 Pro.

First introduced to Android 16 beta testers in March, the feature is designed to help users better understand battery ageing and why their phones may not hold a charge as they used to, much like the iPhone battery health tool Apple introduced in 2018.

However, a Google developer on the public Android Issue Tracker responded to user concerns, saying that retrofitting the feature on older phones is “infeasible” and that the company “won’t fix” the issue.

Although older phones arguably need this feature more, Google has not provided a clear explanation for the restriction. The decision was first reported by Android Authority and flagged by users on Reddit.

Google has yet to respond to further inquiries regarding the limitation, especially why phones as recent as the Pixel 8 are excluded from the rollout.