Android 15 to add iPhone-style battery health
IPhone users have had the upper hand with a convenient feature that Android lacked—a battery health screen. This straightforward tool provides insights into the battery's maximum capacity compared to its new state, offering a clear view of its degradation. However, there are indications that the tide may be turning, with evidence suggesting that Android 15 could finally introduce this much-desired feature.
Nail Sadykov, the editor at Android Authority and Google News Telegram, recently discovered a hidden "battery health" screen in the Android 14 QPR2 beta 2 update. Though currently inactive, a code analysis has revealed that it will display the "estimated percentage of charge the battery can currently hold compared to when it was new." In simpler terms, it's essentially the same battery health percentage feature found in iPhones.
The availability of this feature remains uncertain, but Android Authority speculates that it might make its debut in Android 15, potentially as a Pixel exclusive initially. However, there's always a chance of abandonment, although recent efforts by Google suggest otherwise.
The most recent Pixel Feature Drop has already introduced a "battery information" screen, unveiling details such as the battery's cycle count and manufacture date. Furthermore, Android 14 empowered third-party developers with battery APIs, allowing apps to estimate battery health. These steps seem to be paving the way for a native battery health screen.
The advantages of such a feature are undeniable, particularly for those who hang on to their phones for an extended period. With Google's announcement of seven years of updates for the Pixel 8 lineup, the battery health monitoring feature will prove beneficial for new Pixel owners.