Google Pixel devices encountering early battery shutdowns at ~30%, presumably caused by software

Google’s Pixel smartphone received a ton of praise following its announcement, including in our review, but in the time since, several hardware and software issues have been forcing many to take a second look at Google’s flagship. There have been camera issues, defects, and even some audio problems, but now another issue is starting to pop up, and it’s easily the worst yet ─ premature battery shutdowns.

Just like what last year’s Nexus 6P is currently going through, several Google Pixel users on Reddit and on Google’s own product forums are reporting that their devices are shutting down far before the battery has been drained. While the issue doesn’t seem quite as widespread as it is on the Nexus 6P, there are enough cases to have at least some cause for concern.

My Google Pixel (32 GB), less than a month old is facing worrisome battery issues. Twice in last 5 days, has the phone shutdown abruptly while I am in middle of something. In both instances, battery was between 25-35%, and the phone under normal conditions should have lasted for at least next 3-4 hours.

For Pixel owners who have experienced this issue, it seems to mainly occur when battery levels are around 30% remaining, give or take. Some users report 25%, others a little lower, and in one case, as high as nearly 60%.

It seems unlikely that this issue is caused by hardware given how new the phone is, but rather something in Android Nougat since both the Pixel and Nexus 6P have been recently affected. It’s unclear if other devices running Android Nougat are influenced, but since only a few non-Google devices are running Nougat, we’ll just have to wait and see as the rollout continues.

Google has yet to comment on this issue, although we have reached out for a response. In the meantime, if you’re carrying a Google Pixel or a Nexus 6P, now might not be a bad time to invest in a battery bank or spare USB-C cable…