After a quick rollout, eligible Google Pixel owners should now have the latest version of Android available. It’s not the biggest update, but we asked you how you were getting on, and here’s how many of you said you gained improved battery on your Pixel after updating to Android 15.
As is often the case when a new OS release drops, there are some nice surprises. Performance is often the main focus, but sometimes your phone can get an increased daily lifespan. Improved processes and efficiency gains are always part and parcel of a big system overhaul. This year, all of the Pixel lineup from the Pixel 6 onwards should see some level of improvement in more than one area.
Not everyone has the same usage patterns with a modern smartphone. Throw in all the various connotations of apps, cell service, Wi-Fi connectivity, and screen time, and it’s hard to truly get an idea of how an update might benefit your phone. That said, we still wanted to know what your experiences have been since updating to Android 15. Over 10,000 of you responded to our original survey. As you would expect, your experiences have been mixed – to say the least!
Almost 30% of you said you aren’t sure if your Pixel battery life has improved since updating to Android 15. I also fall into that camp, as my Pixel 9 Pro XL already had solid longevity. Some days it feels like it is harder to kill.
23% of you said you have improved battery life on your Pixel since updating to Android 15. Rob thinks he‘s getting a 5-7% improvement with his Pixel 8 Pro. That sounds small, but it’s still a gain, given that battery cell degradation can cause dips below this mark versus a fresh internal battery pack. Reader Matt is notoriously a tough customer to please, so it’s nice to see he is getting “a slight improvement” on his Pixel 8 Pro.
It’s also pleasing to read that Christopher is seeing better performance and lifespan on his Pixel 6 Pro. Older phones are often forgotten, so lets hope that more of you using previous generation handsets are getting better experiences.
Around 19% fall into the “about the same” battery life camp. As noted earlier, sometimes it’s hard to truly discern how much the lifespan of a phone has enhanced given that you might adjust usage patterns or you just have an arbitrary % figure when you hit the charger. DJA even goes so far as to note that their Pixel 8 Pro battery life is just as “mediocre” as before.
15% of our readers are seeing worse battery life since slapping Android 15 on their Pixel. If we’re being honest, this is one of the obvious fears of updating any device. It’s understandable that you would be cautious to update if you are worried it might negatively affect the experience. The hilariously named “Man” said they are having faster battery drain on their
That left 11% that said they haven’t yet updated to Android 15. Maybe this data isn’t as conclusive as you would have hoped. However, one thing I wanted to point out, as noted by reader Charlie, is that one feature baked into Android 15 that could provide some battery life improvements on your Pixel.
The “App archiving” function. This lets you offload applications that you’re not actively using, essentially freeing up space temporarily until you want to re-download them. Unlike uninstalling said app, you don’t need to re-enter login details, and on-device files are retained. This could be a nice way to free up space and stop some apps from working away in the background and sapping at the precious battery. For that reason, it’s worth trying for yourself.
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