PSA: Do not let Battery die completely on your Phones (Google Pixel)

[gsethi]

So I forgot my Google Pixel phone in the car overnight, and its battery completely drained. I had to leave really early yesterday (no time for charging), so I just pull the SIM card and put it back into my iPhone and plugged the Pixel to my computer for it to charge (using original cable) and left.

When I came back and tried turning the phone on, it does not respond. It only vibrates, nothing on the screen, no blinking red light, nothing. I left it yesterday night plugged in with another computer and it did not respond this morning either.

I drove to office and brought the original Pixel charger but phone still refuses to start up. Seems like battery is completely dead. All the phone does is slight vibrations when I try to start it up (normal power button, power button hold, power + volume down hold).

Called up Google Support, and they are sending an advance replacement, which will take ~1 week to arrive.

I am not complaining, but this is exactly where Apple has Google beat. If similar issue were to happen with an iPhone, I could have walked in to an Apple store, and they would have either replaced the phone, or given a loaner phone, while I await. This is one of the main reasons I recommend Apple products to family members (I do not want to be their IT person anymore).

When I asked the Google support person that I would be without a phone for over a week, and if they could expedite shipping, answer was that there was nothing more they could do.

Its a different issue with Apple admitting their recalls (my iPhone 6s has the battery issue, for which I went to Apple store ~6 months ago, and they said its software and to reinstall iOS, which did nothing. The same iPhone 6s is on the recall list for battery issue, which I need to get fixed someday).

 

[lxskllr]

Just change the battery. They're like $10

<.<
>.>

 

[mxnerd]

Battery is cheap, however the tear down probably will destroy the phone.

 

[Zivic]

I have had charging issues on a moto x pure if i let it get too discharged. There is a procedure to get it to take a charge

 

[monkey333]

my battery has completely died and have had no issue charging it.

 

[gorcorps]

I've had something similar happen to my nexus 7 tablet. I just unplugged, then plugged it back in for an hour or so several times and it eventually would be able to boot and charge normally

 

[JeffMD]

discharging batteries is fine... imagine how bad selling and shipping electronics would be if you had to worry about batteries discharging completely.

 

[Raduque]

I've drained to zero on two separate Galaxy S7 edges and didn't have a problem charging them back up.

Edit: Oh yeah, a cheapo LG Tribute HD has no problems charging up from zero either.

 

[Elixer]

I had this happen to a MotoG, was a PITA, but, after some specific button presses, it FINALLY took a charge, and has been fine since then, but I don't let it run out of power, since I don't want to jump through hoops again to get it charging.

 

[Yakk]

Defective battery it sounds more like... and I agree 100% Apple's customer service is beyond leagues ahead on any Android phone. They just aren't good for me.

When I travel, I deplete my S7 battery often, even with an external battery charger. The phone battery itself is great and second to none, but I use it for just about everything when I'm working on the road from group hot-spot tethering, to CAD drawing reviews, to conference calls, VR at home. ..etc... My previous phone battery is up to 800+ charges with at least a quarter of those being deep discharges and it is still going strong today as a kid's phone.

 

[gsethi]

Left the phone plugged in with Google Pixel original charger entire day yesterday with no success.

Left it plugged in to another computer again with no success. Have tried 3 different cables now (original USB to USB C, Original USB C to USB C, approved USB to USB C) with no success.

Now, i await a week or so for my replacement.

I agree on being more productive with an android phone (file manager, ability to add attachments and more).

 

[core2slow]

Lol @ blaming Google as if they're in charge of the hardware aspect. Put the blame on HTC, the manufacturer of the pixel. Maybe you should heed your own advice and use an iphone, instead.

HTC has been a sinking ship for the past 5 years that I wouldn't dare go near any of their overpriced, mid-range spec, horribly designed and constructed phones.

 

[rh71]

well yes, Google support is pretty terrible in general. They want you to go to their product forums or community support, and even then it isn't easy to find for the particular product. If someone as big as Amazon can have a main 800 support number, why can't Google?

 

[poofyhairguy]

Lol @ blaming Google as if they're in charge of the hardware aspect. Put the blame on HTC, the manufacturer of the pixel.

Eh, I don't agree with that. Maybe if this was the HTC Nexus 7 XL or something I would agree, but Google this time around WANTED people to think they made the phone. So they get everything that goes along with that.

I do think OP's problems aren't universal though. Anyone I know who isn't a geek would be buying said Pixel from say the Verizon store, and then take it back to said store if they had such an issue.

But yeah Google needs to up its game if it wants to compete toe-to-toe with the iPhone. Or they need to drop the price a little so that way expectations can drop too.

 

[tsupersonic]

But yeah Google needs to up its game if it wants to compete toe-to-toe with the iPhone. Or they need to drop the price a little so that way expectations can drop too.

Bingo, the Pixel is overrated imo. Sure it's an excellent all around device, but it's imo not worth the $649+. Regardless of price, I hesitate to buy a Pixel device given how they have treated the Nexus 6P.

I also think the battery problems OP has experienced is a very isolated issue. This is definitely not normal.

 

[gsethi]

Lol @ blaming Google as if they're in charge of the hardware aspect. Put the blame on HTC, the manufacturer of the pixel. Maybe you should heed your own advice and use an iphone, instead.

HTC has been a sinking ship for the past 5 years that I wouldn't dare go near any of their overpriced, mid-range spec, horribly designed and constructed phones.

This is not a nexus phone, its a phone by Google. No where on the actual handset or the box mentions HTC. Do you blame Foxconn when encountering any issue with iPhone ?

Yes, my issue is most probably an isolated issue and I am not complaining. I was just comparing Apple warranty & support with Google warranty & support. If Google wants to charge premium pricing, they need to upgrade their support and warranty services. I will be thinking twice about buying another "premium" product from Google in the future.

 

[Red Storm]

I definitely think Google still needs up to their physical device support options, but while Apple is pretty darn good at this, it's not just as simple as walking in and getting help right then and there. My sister took her iPhone to a store and they made her schedule an appointment, which was for 3 days later.

 

[ChronoReverse]

I definitely think Google still needs up to their physical device support options, but while Apple is pretty darn good at this, it's not just as simple as walking in and getting help right then and there. My sister took her iPhone to a store and they made her schedule an appointment, which was for 3 days later.

This. My wife has an earliest available appointment for next week (that she made this weekend) to get her 6s replaced for the battery issue... the same one that Apple didn't acknowledge a lengthy period.

They're the best of course but it's not like they accommodate every unreasonable expectation.

 

[mcveigh]

whoa, If I have an iPhone, I can get a loaner or it replaced in store?
A few months agomy LG V10 (love it) died while on a business trip. I went to the local verizon store. I thought they could swap it out there, that's why I had the most expensive insurance they offered. all they could do was ship one to my house.
I still had 2-3 days left of travel.
Do you know how hard it is to travel without a cell phone now adays!

So with an iPhone I could have somehow gotten one same day?

 

[sweenish]

"Just walk into an Apple store" doesn't work for a LOT of people.

 

[Capt Caveman]

When I had an iphone, it literally took less then 15 minutes from walking into the store, them looking at the phone, transferring everything over to a replacement and me walking out the door.

 

[Capt Caveman]

Lol @ blaming Google as if they're in charge of the hardware aspect. Put the blame on HTC, the manufacturer of the pixel. Maybe you should heed your own advice and use an iphone, instead.

HTC has been a sinking ship for the past 5 years that I wouldn't dare go near any of their overpriced, mid-range spec, horribly designed and constructed phones.

For branding it as a Google phone, yes they should be providing an amazing customer support experience if they want to be like Apple or be considered a premium phone maker.

 

[core2slow]

For branding it as a Google phone, yes they should be providing an amazing customer support experience if they want to be like Apple or be considered a premium phone maker.

They never said they're competing with Apple in that regard so I don't know WTF you guys are going on about how they "want to be like Apple". All Google did was rename their nexus line to Google/Pixel and forced their logo in the back rather than the actual manufacturer's.

You can dissect this however you like but the logistics of a Google/Nexus/Pixel phone is still the same as it ever was. Android is merely a small fraction in the entire Google's diversified portfolio with the majority of their revenue (over 75% of it) still come from their proprietary advertising service, Adwords. They're nothing like Apple who firmly dictates on custom SoCs, hardware, design, software, etc...so don't be dense in thinking that Google is somehow sniffing at Apple's butt in a rush to create a closed smartphone ecosystem. With the recent news of many Apple execs jumping ships and grim financial forecast, Google's not in a hurry to copy anyone's business model.

But I digress...

Google wants a vanilla phone running stock Android and solicit a bunch of manufacturers for the lowest bid. HTC, being in the dire financial situation that they're in, got the winning bid to build such phone. The QA process of the hardware is directly in the hands of the manufacturer and I doubt Google would give 2 fks when someone's battery dies -- that's what warranty is for.

 

[poofyhairguy]

They never said they're competing with Apple in that regard so I don't know WTF you guys are going on about how they "want to be like Apple". All Google did was rename their nexus line to Google/Pixel and forced their logo in the back rather than the actual manufacturer's.

The tag line for the Pixel is

"A phone by Google"

That means they own it good or bad. Plus it is very clear the point of the Pixel is to compete at the high end of the smartphone market, which effectively means it competes with the iPhone.

I agree Google will never have the ground game Apple does, but I think they have to own problems with the Pixels in a way they never did for the Nexuses.

 

[Capt Caveman]

They never said they're competing with Apple in that regard so I don't know WTF you guys are going on about how they "want to be like Apple". All Google did was rename their nexus line to Google/Pixel and forced their logo in the back rather than the actual manufacturer's.

You can dissect this however you like but the logistics of a Google/Nexus/Pixel phone is still the same as it ever was. Android is merely a small fraction in the entire Google's diversified portfolio with the majority of their revenue (over 75% of it) still come from their proprietary advertising service, Adwords. They're nothing like Apple who firmly dictates on custom SoCs, hardware, design, software, etc...so don't be dense in thinking that Google is somehow sniffing at Apple's butt in a rush to create a closed smartphone ecosystem. With the recent news of many Apple execs jumping ships and grim financial forecast, Google's not in a hurry to copy anyone's business model.

But I digress...

Google wants a vanilla phone running stock Android and solicit a bunch of manufacturers for the lowest bid. HTC, being in the dire financial situation that they're in, got the winning bid to build such phone. The QA process of the hardware is directly in the hands of the manufacturer and I doubt Google would give 2 fks when someone's battery dies -- that's what warranty is for.

Incorrect. I think you should read-up on the developing of the Pixel phone. You seem to think that the Pixel was developed the same way the other Nexus phones were and you would be 100% wrong.

Google developed Pixel to compete against Apple and Samsung in the premium phone market. They developed Pixel to have full control of the development and ownership of the phone.

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/arti...-google-s-first-real-threat-to-apple-s-iphone

Google is now the seller of record of this phone,” said Rick Osterloh, chief of the company’s new hardware division. He notes that the company is now managing inventory, building relationships with carriers, sourcing components, making supply chain deals and managing distribution. Google is even making accessories, including cases and cables.