Now that the Pixel 6 has been on the market for a few weeks, Google has begun to address some of the common complaints about the device.
First, there's a new update for fingerprint readers, which some people are having problems with. The November security update for the Pixel 6 and 6 Pro was build number "SD1A.210817.036", and the most recent fingerprint update added one to that to end up with build number "SD1a.210817.037".Google hasn't officially said what this version will do, but Verizon has released a version 037 update log that says, "The current software update improves the performance of your device's fingerprint sensor."
Second problem: Charge! In a new community post, Google confirmed earlier tests by Android authority Robert Triggs that the Pixel 6 doesn't have a 30W charge, and will only be able to charge around 22W at most. By law, Google has never officially stated the Pixel 6's charging speed on its website, which says the phone can be "charged 50% in approximately 30 minutes using a Google 30W USB-C charger."That said, Google's recommended charger can charge 30 watts, not necessarily a phone, which technically doesn't list the wattage. That's not exactly lying, but it's also unnecessarily misleading.
The phone doesn't have a charger, so I've been using the OnePlus 45W USB PD PPS power brick. One of the big issues with Android right now is that the operating system doesn't report charging power to the user, so I'm not sure if I'm charging at full speed (which is working). Still, the charger seemed to tick all the bills, and it took me about two hours to charge the Pixel 6 Pro.
Ultimately, the Pixel 6 charges slowly and is uncompetitive. That's a completely different experience from the OnePlus 9 Pro's 29-minute charging experience. Oneplus charges its phones so quickly that it has changed consumer habits. When your phone's battery increases by 1% every 18 seconds, charging it overnight feels like overuse. It seems more appropriate to charge during your lunch break or a few minutes before going out, or just when your battery is low. The Pixel 6 is too slow to survive on this behavior, so for me, it just goes back to old-fashioned overnight charging mode.
