Smartphones can overheat, which is nothing new to anyone who has tried using wireless charging and GPS navigation at the same time. But Google's latest update for Pixel phones gives you a little more specific information. New and more complex information can show you exactly how hot your phone is and whether that should worry you.
9to5Google details the new options, which are spread across the Battery Diagnostics settings panel and the official Pixel Troubleshooter app in the Play Store. Both require the latest version of Android (November) shipping on the Pixel 6, 7, 8 and 9 devices, apparently not yet available on the Pixel tablet. What a surprise.
The new interface is pretty good, displaying a temperature reading from the phone's internal sensors on an easy-to-read scale. Stick to green for “normal” phone use, yellow if you're doing something particularly strenuous like gaming, browsing, or trying to mine cryptocurrency while you wait for your Starbucks order. If you dip into the red several times a day, it may be worth looking into repair options. And what do you know, there's a “Contact Support” button right there.
More useful information can be provided contextually, according to testing by 9to5Google. “Your phone is slightly warm, but this is normal during use,” a warning says. “To prevent further temperature increases, charging is suspended and screen brightness and network speeds may be reduced.” More proactive instructions might tell users to increase air circulation around their phone (don't charge it in a pocket, etc.) or close intensive apps.
I think this is good information, which helps to demystify some of the processes going on in your very expensive and vitally important communications tool. A hot phone is worrisome if you're unfamiliar with the complex workings of your phone — and as someone who's been reporting on phones for more than a decade, even I couldn't parse the computer science real most of the time. This is a positive step.
