Still rocking a Pixel 4a? Google might have some money for you

Smartphones come and smartphones go, and while some manufacturers promise years and years of support for their latest models, that wasn’t always the case. While a modern Pixel phone is due for seven whole years of software support, that’s only been the situation since the Pixel 8 series, with Pixel 6 and 7 phones only getting five years. But today we’re turning back the clock even further, as Google starts showing some uncharacteristic attention to a Pixel model we had long considered abandoned.

We’re talking about the Pixel 4a, which launched back in 2020. Followed shortly thereafter by the Pixel 4a 5G, these represented some of our favorite budget-conscious Android picks at the time. By early 2022, though, Google had stopped Pixel 4a sales, and platform updates finally ended in the fall of 2023 with the release of Android 14, and the Pixel 4a remaining behind on Android 13.

For 15 months that’s pretty much where things have remained, but this week we’ve started spotting reports like the one shared by user Knorke_Leon on Reddit’s Pixel sub alerting us to to a new update about to hit Pixel 4a phones. And as it turns out, this one is a lot more impactful than just your average software patch.

Google has implemented what it’s calling the Pixel 4a Battery Performance Program. Later this week, on January 8, Google is going to begin seeding a new update for Pixel 4a phones. They’ll remain on Android 13, and this update is instead intended to improve battery performance and stability. The problem though, according to Google, is that some Pixel 4a phones will experience the opposite effect, and end up with worse battery capacity and charging performance after receiving the update.

The good news there is that Google isn’t about to ruin your old Pixel 4a without offering a little compensation. For starters, you’ll want to check whether your Pixel 4a is even one that’s at risk of being impacted by this update. Not all 4a handsets will be, and while Google isn’t publicly sharing exactly why some of these phones are affected and not others, it does have an easy tool you can use to see if that includes your Pixel 4a.

If it turns out that your Pixel 4a is part of this group, you might be able to get a brand-new battery for your phone — and considering its age, that’s probably going to make a big difference. Users in the US will be able to use Google’s mail-in service, and there are walk-in options available in some other nations. But if you can’t take advantage of either of those, or you just prefer not to, there’s always the cash option.

If you turn down the battery replacement, you can choose between getting either $50 straight cash (or its equivalent in your nation’s currency), or a $100 Google Store credit to be used towards a new Pixel. Even if you’re no longer actively using your 4a, Google says that it’s cool to request this money. You don’t even have to hand the phone in, and can keep right on using your old Pixel, while pocketing a little cash. You just can’t do both the battery replacement and the pay-out, but at least you have some time to decide: Eligible Pixel 4a owners have until January 8, 2026 to make their decision.