One of the new features that Google unveiled today with the Pixel 4a 5G and Pixel 5, is the Extreme Battery Saver. This is a more intense battery saving mode, over what is already available on Pixel smartphones.
And the good news is that the Extreme Battery Saver is coming to older Pixel smartphones. It looks like the Pixel 3 and newer will be getting this feature in a future “Feature Drop”. Which should be coming soon, as Google planned to do these quarterly. The last one was in September with Android 11. So it might be November before the next one arrives.
Google has not yet said which Pixel smartphones will get it. But based on the Google Support page that it has set up, it specifically mentions Pixel 3 and Pixel 4, in addition to the new Pixels announced today.
Here’s what the Extreme Battery Saver Mode will limit
There’s a long list of things that the Extreme Battery Saver mode will limit when it is turned on. This includes apps refreshing their content. Location services will stop when your screen is off. Apps won’t run in the background, unless you turn off battery optimization. Your phone will no longer listen for the “OK Google” hotword. Dark mode will also turn on automatically.
With the Extreme battery saver, your notifications may also be delayed. Time and info won’t show on your lockscreen. And Active Edge won’t respond any longer.
Now on Pixel 4, Pixel 4 and later Pixel smartphones, car crash detection turns off. On Pixel 4, motion sense turns off and for Pixel 4 and later, smooth display turns off. The newer 5G Pixels will also turn off 5G and go back to 4G service.
So there is quite a few things here that Extreme Power Saver mode will turn off, to help you conserve battery. Which sounds like it is necessary on a Pixel phone, considering it is known for terrible battery life. But with these newer Pixel smartphones, Google finally decided to put in a decently sized battery. With the Pixel 4a 5G getting a 3800mAh battery pack, and the Pixel 5 getting 4000mAh. Remember that these are still pretty small phones at 6 and 6.2-inches. And they are also FHD+, so that battery should last you a full day and then some. Which is really nice to have.
You can learn more about the new Extreme Battery Saver Mode for Google Pixel smartphones by clicking here.