We live in a 24/7 world that has taken ‘work from home’ to a new meaning, and yet Google seems to think that we all live, work and sleep the same hours. At least, that’s what its Pixel phones with customizable charging look like. That should probably change.
Customizable charging work has taken place with the December Feature Drop, which has enabled Pixel 4 phones or newer to charge slowly as one sleeps and then replenish just before the alarm goes off. Since batteries deteriorate faster when kept at almost 100% for a long time, this policy is intended to maintain their useful life and has been installed in many other phones.
But, as noted earlier by our rival friends at the ironically named publication 9to5Google, Google is running on a set schedule. According to the help article of the feature on the Pixel phone help pages:
If you charge your phone after 21:00, with an active alarm for 05-10 hours, your phone uses a customizable charge. Otherwise, charge your phone normally.
Of course, not everyone has such a scheduled schedule – third-watch workers, shift covers and those who have to travel early, we feel you – and it’s a bit of a shame that Google did not make a manual exception to it, programming or even ‘ a cheat like linking it to a Google Assistant bedtime request.
Image: 9to5Google
It’s even worse if this policy does not appear on the settings page.
So if you are careful and conservative with the way you tax your consumables, but wake up at 5pm instead of 5am, customizable charging will not suit you.
