Google Pixel Watch Users Face Battery Woes After June Update, July Patch Released
Google Pixel Watch owners have been experiencing unexpected battery drain issues following the June 2024 security update, affecting both first and second-generation models. The problem has left many users frustrated as their devices lose significant charge within hours, even when starting with over 80% battery life.
June Update Brings Features and Bugs
The June update introduced several new features, including:
- Car crash detection
- New Google Home favorites widget
However, these improvements came at a cost, with users reporting their watches completely draining overnight or losing charge rapidly during workouts.
Temporary Solutions
While the exact cause remains unclear, some users have found temporary relief by:
- Disabling the newly added car crash detection feature
- Performing a factory reset (as a last resort)
It's worth noting that disabling car crash detection means giving up a potentially life-saving feature, and a factory reset is a time-consuming process that erases all data and settings.
July 2024 Security Patch Released
In a surprising move, Google has released the July 2024 security patch for Pixel Watches ahead of its Pixel phones. The update, with build number TWD9.240705.001.A1, is now available for both Pixel Watch generations.
Key points about the July update:
- Focuses primarily on security vulnerability patches
- No mention of fixes for the battery drain or random restart issues
- No notable new features added
Users can manually check for the update by navigating to Settings > System > System updates on their Pixel Watch.
Looking Ahead
As the battery drain issue continues to frustrate users, many are hoping that Google will address the problem in future updates. Additionally, Pixel Watch owners can look forward to the Wear OS 5 update, expected later this month following the launch of the Pixel Watch 3 and its XL variant at the Made by Google event on August 13.
For now, users experiencing battery issues may want to consider delaying the June update installation or trying the suggested temporary solutions while waiting for a more permanent fix from Google.
