Android 15 is preparing a feature that tells how long your Pixel’s storage chip will last

As per Android Authority, Google is set to introduce a new feature with its upcoming Android 15 update, aimed at providing users with detailed insights into the lifespan of their Pixel’s storage chip. This development represents a pivotal shift in how users manage and understand the health of their mobile devices.

Taking a cue from its upcoming implementation of battery health information – including factors like manufacture date, cycle count, and overall health – Google is expanding its focus to encompass storage health as well. This valuable data will be housed within a dedicated “Device Diagnostics” app, empowering users to make informed decisions about their phone’s longevity.

Under the hood, the Device Diagnostics app leverages a storage lifetime API introduced in Android 15. This API functions by retrieving the “remaining lifetime of the internal storage device, as an integer percentage.” In simpler terms, if the API returns a value of 90, it signifies that 90% of the storage device’s usable life remains.

While the official integration of this feature into the Android Open Source Project (AOSP) is still pending, the API is already up and running in the latest Android 15 beta 1 release. This is because Google’s internal Android codebase, which forms the foundation for their official builds, has already incorporated the necessary patch. It’s important to understand that the API merely unlocks access to information that Android was already collecting.

The initial patch implementing this new API highlights a key distinction as it “differs slightly from the previous API, which existed for idle maintenance.” Idle maintenance refers to the process employed by Android to optimize flash storage chips by eliminating unused blocks within the filesystem. While this is a beneficial practice, excessive trimming can negatively impact the storage chip’s lifespan. The storage lifetime API plays a crucial role here by enabling the system to intelligently manage idle maintenance based on the UFS chip’s health.

The groundwork laid by the initial patch further emphasizes that this value is intended to be presented to users. This suggests that future beta releases might introduce access to the Device Diagnostics app. However, it’s crucial to note that not all devices will offer the same level of granularity. Google’s Pixel lineup, for instance, will provide a detailed breakdown with 1% increments, while other devices might display a less precise 10% granularity. This inconsistency translates to a potential limitation as the remaining storage chip lifespan metric might not be as informative on certain devices running Android 15.

Furthermore, the very availability of this feature hinges on device support. To function effectively, devices need to collect and share relevant data with the Android OS via the Health HAL (Hardware Abstraction Layer). If a device lacks this capability, the storage lifetime API will return a value of -1, indicating incompatibility. The onus of enabling this API currently falls on the Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) or the storage chip vendor, as Google hasn’t yet mandated its inclusion.

The good news for Pixel users is that Android 15 offers full support for the storage lifetime API. This translates to the Device Diagnostics app functioning seamlessly to display the remaining storage lifetime of your Pixel device’s chip.

Inline image source: Android Authority