● Covered by 2 sources · 3 reportsMedium impact1 negative2 neutral
Google Addresses Pixel Battery Drain, Samsung Users Report New Issues
Key points
- Google released a July 2026 update for Pixel 9 and 10 series to fix battery drain.
- Pixel 8a and 9a are scheduled to receive a battery drain fix in September.
- The Pixel issue, active since April, caused significant battery life reduction.
- Samsung Galaxy S24 and S25 users report new battery drain and overheating post-July 2026 update.
- Samsung's issue may be related to a WhatsApp bug causing continuous backup processes.
Google Addresses Pixel Battery Drain
Google has stated that battery drain issues on its Pixel phones should be resolved with recent and upcoming software updates. The company indicated that the July 2026 update, specifically version CP2A.260705.006, contains a fix for "Severe Idle Drain: kepler_spi_irq_handler & gnss_ipc Suspend Aborts" on Pixel 9 Pro XL, Pixel 9 Pro, Pixel 9, Pixel 10 Pro XL, Pixel 10 Pro, and Pixel 10 devices.
For Pixel 8a and Pixel 9a models, Google expects the fix to be included in the September Quarterly Platform Release (QPR). This issue, which emerged after an April update, caused some users to experience significantly reduced battery life, with some reports indicating a halving of battery duration due to continuous CPU activity even when the phone was idle.
User Discrepancies and Unaddressed Models
Despite Google's announcement of a fix and the closure of the issue on its tracker, some users report that the battery drain problem persists on their devices. Additionally, Google's communication did not mention fixes for other affected Pixel models beyond those specified, leaving some users with older devices still experiencing the issue.
New Battery Issues for Samsung Galaxy Users
Coinciding with Google's Pixel updates, Samsung Galaxy S24 and S25 series users are reporting new battery drain and overheating problems following their July 2026 One UI 8.5 update. These complaints are appearing on Samsung's Community Forums, particularly from owners of Ultra devices.
One user reported drastically higher battery usage despite less screen time after the update. This specific instance was traced to WhatsApp, which appeared to be getting stuck in its backup process, leading to increased resource consumption. Samsung has not yet acknowledged these new reports.
✨ This summary was generated by AI from the outlets' reporting listed below. It is not independently verified and may contain errors — check the original sources. How BrevFeed works →
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How outlets covered it
Samsung Galaxy S24 and S25 series users are reporting significant battery drain and overheating issues following the July 2026 One UI 8.5 update. This problem appears to be linked to a WhatsApp bug where the application gets stuck in its backup process, causing increased resource usage.
Google released a July software update to fix a battery drain problem on Pixel 9- and 10-series phones, with a September update planned for Pixel 8a and 9a. This issue, which emerged after an April update, caused rapid battery depletion due to continuous CPU activity. Despite Google's announcement, some users report the problem persists, and older Pixel models have not received a fix.
Google stated that battery drain issues affecting Pixel phones will be resolved with the July 2026 update for Pixel 9 and 10 series devices, and the September QPR for Pixel 8a and 9a. However, user reports indicate the problem persists on various models, and many users disagree with Google's assessment that the issue is fixed.