Android 16 logo on a phone
(Image credit: Google / Future)
Android 16 beta 2.1 is reportedly causing major battery drain for some users
Comments posted to Reddit complain about the need to charge as much as twice a day
Android 16 is expected to release at some point between April and June
Android 16 is due to release some time between April and June this year, and as we get closer to that window Google is continuing to roll out beta versions of its latest mobile operating system.
However, these beta versions are still pre-release builds designed to trial and test new features, and as such can have unfortunate side effects – in fact, a recent Android 16 beta seems to be hitting users’ phone batteries’ harder than expected.
As Android Authority reports, users with Android 16 beta 2.1 installed have been reporting a serious impact on battery life as a result of updating.
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A Reddit thread started by the official u/androidbetaprogram account in the r/android_beta subreddit contains multiple reports of this battery issue.
User u/jordanl171 said: “The battery life on 2.1 is so much worse than it was on 2.0 [on the] Pixel 9 Pro”.
Others complained of unspecified charging issues, while a now-deleted user said they were “forced to charge twice a day”.
Naturally, this isn’t the type of change you’d want to see with a newer version of any operating system, but I’m not particularly worried about this battery bug.
Beta versions of operating systems are bound to have some annoying or even experience-breaking issues every now and then – it’s part of the process, and much better for users and developers that these issues come to light before full release.
So long as Google follows up on its community outreach via platforms like Reddit and other social media, I’m fairly certain that this issue will be fixed before launch, and probably even in a later beta build.
Though I’ve not been affected by this battery drain issue myself – I don’t have a Google Pixel phone and at the moment you need one to access Android 16 betas – I don’t think this will still be a red light for anyone looking to update to Android 16 at release.
However, it might be worth skipping this particular build. Phone batteries are consumable components, with maximum lifespans that decay over time, so having to recharge more often might have an impact on your device’s longevity.
In any case, I’m still excited for Android 16 to make it to the best Android phones later this year. Let us know what you want to see from the new Android update in the comments below.
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Mobile Computing Staff Writer
Jamie is a Mobile Computing Staff Writer for TechRadar, responsible for covering phones and tablets. He’s been tech-obsessed from a young age and has written for various news and culture publications. Jamie graduated from Goldsmiths, University of London in 2024 with a bachelor’s degree in Journalism. Since starting out as a music blogger in 2020, he’s worked on local news stories, finance trade magazines, and multimedia political features. He brings a love for digital journalism and consumer technology to TechRadar. Outside of the TechRadar office, Jamie can be found binge-watching tech reviews, DJing in local venues around London, or challenging friends to a game of Super Smash Bros. Ultimate.