Google introduced a new feature called charging "Cycle count" in the battery information page of the Pixel 8 series earlier this year. However, due to some unspecified reasons, the feature was pulled back. Although it was later made available for the Pixel 8a phones, it never appeared for the flagship Pixel 8 series.
Now, the latest reports suggest that the recently launched Pixel 9 series brings back the charging cycle count feature. The Pixel 9 series phones pack a lot of new stuff under the hood. In addition to various AI features you might have stumbled upon on the Pixel 9, all four models in the lineup also support display output support using a USB-C cable as well.
Google has also tweaked various software aspects of the device, one of which is the section that shows the charging cycle count. You can check the battery charging cycle count by heading over to Settings > About Phone > Battery information. This page shows you information such as the manufacturer date, date of first use, and the new cycle count.
Just below the Cycle count info, you will also see a note explaining, "Due to quality inspections before shipping, the cycle count may not be zero on first use."
This means there is no need to panic if, upon unboxing your shiny new Pixel 9 phone, you see a Cycle count displaying 1 or 2. Because your phone isn"t a used model, the cycle count just reflects the charging done during the device"s inspection.
It"s a pretty handy feature, something which we have already seen on Apple iPhone devices. Using this battery charging cycle count information, you can easily determine whether your phone"s battery has degraded and if it needs a replacement.
Google is expected to bring this cycle count information to more Pixel devices with the upcoming Android 15 update.
Source and image: Android Headlines