Some Pixel 4 XL owners report spontaneously swelling batteries

By Michael Allison
published

Google Pixel 4 XL
Google Pixel 4 XL (Image credit: Andrew Martonik / Android Central)

What you need to know

  • Pixel 4 XL users have reported spontaneous peeling of the rear panel.
  • The problem has been attributed to a swelling of the rear battery that causes it to bulge and weaken the glue that holds the panel to the rest of the phone.
  • Reports on social media claim this is a known issue of the Pixel 4 XL, but we've reached out to Google for clarity.

Some Pixel 4 XL owners have reported issues with the rear glass of the phone. They have cited peeling and weakening, causing the back of the phone to start coming off for no apparent reason.

While it was originally highlighted by Android Authority, the folks over at 9to5Google have a Pixel 4 XL unit that suffers from the same issue as well.

Pixel 4 Rear Glass Back Peel

Source: 9to5Google (Image credit: Source: 9to5Google)

According to a Redditor claiming to work as a general manager for uBreakiFix, the issue here stems primarily from the battery swelling.

Writing on one of the complaints, he says:

This is caused by battery failure due to faulty connectors. That leads to battery swelling. It is a MAJOR issue with the 4xl series and I don't understand why Google is not supporting it properly.The battery connectors on many 4xl phones are brittle and break apart with even normal use. I've gotten multiple on the job trainings about it, which also say I should never tell customers that it is a "known issue"!

Swelling batteries in smartphones are a hazard, one that could lead to fires if left unattended for too long. If this is due to a design flaw with the Pixel 4 XL line in general, it would not be a good look for Google.

We've reached out to Google to see if this report is broadly accurate, and will update the story when we know more.

Michael Allison
Michael Allison
9 Comments
  • No problem here? Plus I've it out with many days of 90degree heat. But maybe one of the lucky ones?
  • If it lasts for over four hours...
  • This website should be renamed to "ATTACKGOOGLEDAILY". Specious "some people report" now passes for "news".
  • Seems it doesn't it.
  • Yet if they didn't report it people would complain that they are showing Google favoritism. Calm down sparky, it's alright, it's just a phone/OS.
  • $899 for that piece of trash, $799 for the smaller version. And to think that some bought this at them prices...
  • Pixel phones are a joke. Funny thing is Google doesn't care. Then again Pixel phones don't matter in the grand scheme of the company making money. They just cater to a niche market of fan boys and girls lol.
  • Google should just kill the pixel. They will never compete with Apple or Samsung. I've never seen anyone in Canada with a pixel.
  • No surprise, its pretty obvious from the exterior and general performance of the device, that this battery is going to be the weakest point next to the actual body of the phone. When I used the usb type-c cable it would sit at 99% and take an entire night to roll over to 100% charge, who knows what it was doing, presumably overcharging all night. If it's placed on a wireless charging pad, there's no cutoff. It never stops charging, ever. Occasionally the wireless charging pad will indicate that it's reached a cutoff and flash, and you'll see the pixel say "100%" but within 15 seconds it's back to "Charging wirelessly"