Google's cunning new battery health feature will only be available on these Pixel devices

When we talk about the best Android phones on the market, it rarely takes long before the Google Pixel range emerges. These handsets include killer specs and offer decent value for money, making them a popular choice in a crowded market.

There is something of a shifting tide among loyal Pixel fans, though. The controversy has been brewing over battery health – a feature which gives users an idea of how their battery is currently performing compared to how it would have when new.

In a previous version of the Android operating system, that feature had been widely available on a range of older devices – some users report compatibility as far back as the Pixel 6. However, the latest updates appear to have shelved that, and a subsequent comment from the brand suggests it won't be available on devices older than the Pixel 8a. That leaves just the 8a and the Pixel 9 series.

That's massively frustrating for users. It's never fun to see a feature not supported on your handset anyway, but it's even more infuriating when it was working, but has been snatched away.

It's perhaps most annoying for users of the Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro. They look set to be cast aside, despite the sub-series Pixel 8a getting the nod. What's more, those devices were both sold on the promise of getting seven years of updates, yet less than two years later they're already being shunned for some pretty basic stuff.

It has caused uproar in the Google community, with comments across Reddit and the Google Issue Tracker showcasing just how frustrating the situation is. Some have even questioned whether or not the limitation has been imposed to hide poor battery performance, though there's nothing official to suggest that.

Regardless, it will be interesting to see how Google manages the situation. While we wouldn't necessarily expect a U-turn, doing so could go a long way to limiting the damage caused by this situation.