Google is bringing a battery health indicator for Android smartphones
Android users may soon enjoy a battery health indicator, similar to what iPhone users have had for years. Android expert Mishaal Rahman revealed that Android 14 QPR2 Beta 2 contains a hidden "battery health" page. This will likely show the "estimated percentage of charge the battery can currently hold compared to when it was new." Currently, Android users have to use third-party apps or special command codes to check battery health. The new feature could eliminate the need for that.
Pixel Feature Drop adds new battery information
The latest Pixel Feature Drop introduced new battery information tool, providing the manufacture date and cycle count of the device's battery. This data is accessed through new APIs in Android 14. Other battery health details like date of first use, charging policy, charging status, and state of health are also available through these APIs. The battery health indicator will be accessible from the Settings app.
Battery Health Page in Android 14 QPR2 Beta 2
The hidden "battery health" page in Android 14 QPR2 Beta 2 is not yet live. Currently, it doesn't display the actual state of battery health but warns that "batteries degrade over time and last fewer hours between charges." Additionally, the Settings app will send "tips" to users like when the battery capacity is degraded or cannot be detected, eliminating the need for manual checks.
Battery health updates
Google is also working on exposing more battery-related information to the OS, like part status and serial number. The part status has three values: UNSUPPORTED, ORIGINAL, and REPLACED, indicating whether the device has its original battery or a replaced one. UNSUPPORTED indicates the device cannot differentiate if the battery is original or replaced. It's encouraging to see Android is getting the much-useful battery health indicator especially as genuine repair parts and self-repair guides are becoming more accessible.
