On February 27, Google released Android 16 beta 2.1, a preview update intended to fix excessive battery drain from the previous version. However, this update is not a major overhaul but a rolling update focused on bug fixes. Unfortunately, some users report that battery drain has worsened rather than improved.
Several testers from the Reddit community noted severe battery performance issues across all compatible Google Pixel smartphones. Some reported that their phones needed charging twice a day, while one user observed their battery dropping to 63% in under 24 hours with just 1 hour and 32 minutes of screen time.
Mixed Results Among Users
Ironically, the rapid battery drain was already an issue in Android 16 beta 2.0, and beta 2.1 was supposed to resolve it. However, for some users, it has only made things worse, adds NIX Solutions. That said, not everyone is experiencing problems—some have reported that the battery drain issue has finally been fixed. One user even noted that after more than five hours of screen time, their battery still had 57% remaining.
A Google employee previously confirmed that the public release of Android 16 is scheduled for June. The company has adopted a new development model aimed at speeding up major platform updates. Yet, we’ll keep you updated as more fixes and improvements roll out.