A surprising new report from Android Authority suggests that some Google Pixel 6a phones are still catching fire. This is happening even after Google released a special update meant to fix the problem. It brings back a worrying issue that many thought was resolved.
Earlier this year, several users and news outlets reported that the Pixel 6a was getting dangerously hot. Google quickly responded. They pushed out a software update, hoping it would stop these overheating incidents. For a while, things seemed to calm down.
However, it looks like the problem might not be completely gone. Android Authority found a Reddit post from a user named u/footymanageraddict. This user shared a scary story about their Pixel 6a. On July 26, the phone suddenly caught fire while it was charging. The user was asleep at the time, and the phone was plugged into a 45-watt Steam Deck charger.
The user woke up to a terrible smell and a loud noise. They saw their Pixel 6a actively burning. Luckily, they managed to throw the device onto the floor and put out the flames. But the damage was already done. The fire spread to the room’s floor and even affected the air conditioner. The user also suffered respiratory issues from breathing in too much smoke.
Interestingly, u/footymanageraddict mentioned that their Pixel 6a had already received Google’s “Battery Performance Program” update. This was the update Google released specifically to fix the fire problem. Despite the software update, the battery itself had not been replaced. The user stated they were outside the service area, making a physical battery swap difficult.
The Pixel 6a first came out on May 11, 2022. It was designed as a more affordable, mid-range phone. Its specs were based on the higher-end Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro models. This new incident raises questions about whether a software patch is enough to truly address a potentially deeper hardware issue.