Here’s the crux of the article in video form:
New updates are being added at the bottom of this story…….
Original story (published on October 29, 2021) follows:
The stable version of Android 12 arrived with the Google Pixel 6 phones. Since then, it has also been available for other Pixel phones. However, some models are having problems after updating.
Some Google Pixel phones experiencing battery drain after Android 12 update
Some Pixel phones users are reporting their discomfort regarding the battery life of their devices (1, 2, 3, 4). They point out that, after Android 12 update, battery life worsened significantly compared to Android 11.
After updating to Android 12, the battery seems to be draining at a significantly higher rate on my pixel 4a. Losing a percent per half hour when the phone isn’t in use. This wasn’t the case before the update. I would get 24 hours of full usage in a single charge.
Source
The reported issue seems to be present in very recent models. For example, many of the affected users have a Google Pixel 4a 5G or a Google Pixel 5, both released last year. So, the problem is not limited to older models.
The problem was present in Android 12 betas
In Android 12 public betas, an alleged excessive battery consumption was already reported (1, 2). Now that the stable version is available, some Pixel phone still have the problem.
The problem is with the Android system intelligence service. There were lot of treads about this problem in Android 12 beta program. It seems that the problem is not fixed by Google.
This was my first pixel phone and if this is how Google tests its devices, it will be my last one…
Source
There’s a Workaround
It seems that there is a workaround that allegedly helps to solve the problem, according to a report. However, not all affected users may be willing to apply the process, as it requires a factory reset and clean installation.
1. Backup everything
2. Go to Settings/system/reset options/Erase all data (factory reset)
3. When your phone restarts DO NOT RESTORE from backup
4. When you have got the phone up and running and Play Store has updated everything, install your apps again from Manage apps & device/installed (drop down menu). Change to “Not installed” and select the apps you want.
Source
It is not known if Google is aware
Currently, it is not known if Google is aware of the problem. Among the reports, some product experts recommended that affected users send their feedback. However, they do not confirm that the problem has been escalated.
So for the moment, affected users can only wait for an official pronouncement from Google on the matter. They can also try the workaround described above.
When there is more news about the alleged battery drain problem in some Google Pixel phones after updating to Android 12, we will update this article with the relevant information.
You can also check the bug/issues tracker dedicated to Android 12 on Pixel phones.
Update 1 (November 01)
04:43 pm (IST): Google support on Twitter is also asking users to boot into safe mode to see if the problem persists. Further, the team is also asking users to reach out to the chat support team for more help.
We understand how difficult that would be. Could you try rebooting your phone into safe mode and see if it works fine? https://goo.gle/35xj3It Let us know how it goes. (Source)
Update 2 (November 02)
06:25 pm (IST): A Google employee on the official issue tracker has confirmed that they’ll investigate a user’s report regarding the battery issues after the Android 12 update.
We appreciate your help! In most cases, we won’t be able to send you an individualized response, but we’ll investigate your report and use the information you provide to improve Android. (Source)
Update 3 (November 03)
10:30 am (IST): While Google works on a fix for the battery draining issues on Android 12, we’d suggest heading to the Battery settings > Battery Manager, and then enabling the option to ‘Manage apps automatically,’ if it isn’t enabled by default.
With this enabled, the apps that you don’t use often will stop guzzling down your battery juice in the background. However, it also means that notifications might get interrupted in some situations.
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