Google wants to stop people from overheating their pixels

Often, units with poor (or no!) cooling systems can exhibit a wide range of disruptive symptoms, including unexpected shutdowns, reduced performance, and even physical damage. In extreme cases, the phone may even cut power completely, turning itself off until it cools down.

How “adaptive thermal” works

The proposed Adaptive Thermal feature appears to take a more user-interactive approach to thermal management. This is quite different from what was traditionally an automated procedure. According to the APK teardown via Android Authority, it would work in stages depending on the phone’s battery temperature:

1. At 49°C (120°F): A “pre-emergency” alert is triggered, informing the user that the phone needs to cool down and its performance may be slower.
2. At 52°C (126°F): The phone enters an “emergency” state, although the specific actions for this state are unclear.
3. At 55°C (131°F): A warning is issued that the phone will turn off in 30 seconds to prevent damage.

When the initial alert is triggered, users can tap a “See Care Steps” button in the notification. This opens a dialog box (window) showing typical management procedures, such as limiting performance speed and disabling 5G. It would also suggest additional actions including moving the phone out of direct sunlight, placing it in an open area, and closing battery-intensive apps, among others.

Potential impact and release

It’s important to note that Google has not officially announced or confirmed the Adaptive Thermal feature. We only have Android Authority’s APK teardown as a source. Although such a method has proven reliable so far, there is no guarantee that Google will not change (remove or add) anything before launch.

Additionally, given its unofficial status, any potential release schedule becomes purely speculative. However, if Google decides to move forward with the feature as it is, perhaps it could launch with the public release of Android 15 or the upcoming Pixel 9 series later this year.