Google To Add Battery Health in Android 13

Smartphones are lasting longer and longer, and the limiting factor is often just the battery and software updates. With a new test version of Android 13, a new function has now appeared that takes care of the smartphone battery health – including warnings.

Google battery health with a new menu

These are the changes, about which 9to5google reported to be related to the Android 13 QPR1 Beta 2, limited to Pixel smartphones. However, Google is happy to test what will later be generally available in Android on smartphones. In the test version, the new item “Battery Health” can be found in the “Battery” settings menu on Pixel devices. As Google notes here, the new menu is designed to “view battery status” and get “tips on how to extend battery life”.

The first thing the user sees here is a display that Apple also makes available on the iPhone, Watch, and MacBooks: the maximum capacity of the battery as a percentage. The developers note that this is an “estimated value” relative to a battery’s performance when new. Then the simple explanation: “Lower capacity can result in fewer hours of use between charges.”

Tips And Warnings

Clicking on the percentage then provides a number of other hints and tips. Google also provides the option of warning the user if Android registers problems with the battery. “There could be a problem with the battery that requires further diagnosis. Contact support,” the short message read.

However, it is currently still unclear when such a warning should be issued. Last but not least, Google has placed a number of tips in the menu to save the battery and thus extend its life:

• Enable adaptive charging
• Optimize settings
• Install the latest software
• Use the right charger that matches the power demand and charging standard