The latest version of Google’s operating system arrived in October, Android 14, although we have already received the first major quarterly update for the Google Pixel. Now the search giant is already looking to the future with a Keep an eye on Android 14 QPR2whose second beta version arrived a few days ago.
We already know some details about this next version thanks to the beta. These will continue to expand some of the features already present, such as the one that tells us the battery cycles. From next March, when it will land on all Pixels, it will also be able to determine When do we need a battery change?.
Android 14 will tell you if your battery requires a change
The change in the Pixel’s update policy may have motivated the addition of this feature. Remember that the Pixel 8 will have up to seven years of updates, a long life that will not be as long for the batteries. But… How can we know that there is still an information program on our battery? Normally, if we suffer from fairly serious autonomy problems, we have the definitive clue, although it will be better to know with certainty.
So far, Android 14 saves some battery settings as soon as we start it for the first time, but that doesn’t mean they are available to users. As we mentioned before, Android 14 QPR1 added battery information, in a section that tells us how much battery cycles we encountered, as well as the date of manufacture of the internal battery.
But these are not the only data that the operating system is capable of collecting, since there is a more than interesting parameter: the battery health. Expressed as a percentage, it is implemented in the Settings Services (an Android Settings extension for Pixels) found in Android 14 QPR2 Beta 2.
At the moment, Android Authority has not been able to obtain screenshots revealing the interface of the said section. Yes, we know the icons that will accompany each parameterwhich correspond to different aspects:
- Reduced battery capacity
- The recalibrated battery: we do not know what information it would provide
- Undetected capacity
Likewise, this section of Android settings will give advice to the user in the event of battery degradation, or the remaining capacity is not detected. As if that wasn’t enough, Google also plans to add other types of related information, like part condition and serial number. Related to this “battery status” we will know if the battery is original, replacement or “unsupported” (this does not differentiate if it is original or replaced).
These are the icons mentioned. Image by Mishaal Rahman for Android Authority
Whether this comes to fruition depends on whether Google deems it necessary, so this code should be added to AOSP (Android Open Part). Although even doing this requires other smartphone brands to support it through the Android health HAL (abstraction layer that connects hardware to software).
Android 15 should be the turning point for other manufacturers to support this addition. This would be a very useful function for the user, who would have more information about the health of the battery, so important and determining in the way we use our cell phones.
Via | Android Authority
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