Typically, when a smartphone maker announces a software upgrade, you expect improvements. But a new update to Google's Pixel 6a devices will actually reduce the phone's battery capacity. The kicker: The software update will be mandatory, meaning some Pixel 6a owners will have to install it.

Google, of course, isn't doing this for fun. The problem, according to the company, is the risk of the Pixel 6a battery overheating.

The silver lining is that not all Pixel 6a owners are affected; those that are will be contacted by Google in July.

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"A subset of Pixel 6a phones will require a mandatory software update to reduce the risk of potential battery overheating. The update will enable battery management features that will reduce capacity and charging performance after the battery reaches 400 charge cycles. We’ll contact impacted customers next month, with all the information they need to address the issue," said the company (via 9to5Google).

Reduced charging speed and battery capacity isn't ideal, but it's certainly better than the phone catching fire, which has happened to several Pixel 6a owners in the past couple of weeks.

Topics Google