Smartphones can overheat, which is not news to anyone trying to use wireless charging and GPS navigation at the same time. But Google’s latest update for Pixel phones gives you some more detailed information. New and more complex information can show you exactly how hot your phone is, and whether you should worry about it.
9to5Google provides an overview of the new options, which are spread across the Battery Diagnostics settings panel and the official Pixel Troubleshooting app on the Play Store. Both require the latest version of Android (November), shipped on Pixel 6, 7, 8, and 9 devices, which apparently isn’t yet available for the Pixel Tablet. What a surprise.
The new interface is quite good, showing a temperature readout from the phone’s internal sensors on an easy-to-read scale. Stick to green for “normal” phone use, and yellow if you’re doing something particularly taxing like gaming or navigating, or trying to mine cryptocurrency while waiting for your order at Starbucks. If you’re in the red several times a day, it may be worth looking into repair options. And you know, there’s a “Contact Support” button there.
According to 9to5Google’s testing, more useful information can be provided contextually. “Your phone is a little warm, but this is normal during use,” reads a warning. “To prevent further temperature increases, charging will be paused and screen brightness and network speeds may be reduced.” More proactive instructions might tell users to increase airflow around their phone (don’t charge in a pocket, etc.) or close intensive apps.
I think this is good information, which helps to demystify some of the processes taking place in your very expensive and very important communication tool. A hot phone is unsettling if you’re not familiar with the complex workings of your phone – and as someone who has been reporting on phones for more than a decade, even I often couldn’t parse the actual computer science. It’s a positive step.
