Kirkland KS10.0T and Phonak Paradise rechargeable battery drain after Android 12 upgrade

Hearing Aids
#1

I know this information is scattered around various other threads, but I thought it would be a good idea to put it in a dedicated thread with a meaningful title.

Google Disability support now acknowledges that there is a problem and claims to be working on it “diligently” – but with no ETA for a solution yet.

Problem reports can be entered at

https://support.google.com/accessibility/contact/contact_google_disability

and including the following information:

  1. Device:
  2. OS/Security build:
  3. App and App version:
  4. Issue replicated Y/N:
  5. What is the observed and expected behavior?
  6. Assistive devices being used (include version):
  7. Program/App being used (include version):
  8. Additional program/app being used (include version):
  9. Recent changes and/or previous known version, if applicable:
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#2

Haven’t only of users of various Pixel model phones reported problems?

#3

That is what I’ve seen as well, it is not android 12 specific but Pixel + Android 12.

#4

Any change on this problem ? Mine are doing it. Right aid is down to 18-20% while the left is still 50-60%. Pixel 6 PRO android 12. May try the Android 13 beta and see if it helps.

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#5

I also have the problem with KS9 and Pixel 4xl. I have to replace the batteries every three days as opposed to five or six days.

On reflection, the battery drain probably started when I updated to Android 12.

For the longest time, I assumed there was something wrong with the aids. Very grateful for this site!

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#6

After upgrade to Android 13 beta 4 the battery drain disappeared.

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#7

Same here – Android 13 Beta 4.1, I think. Took the aids out of the charger at 7am, and now, at 3:20pm, the LH aid is at 64%, and the RH aid is at 62% – and that’s after some streaming this morning.

Update: at 10pm yesterday, the RH aid even had more charge than the LH one: 24% vs. 22%.

#8

My dad is experiencing severe battery drain on his right hearing aid as well. He’s using a Samsung Galaxy S10e that’s currently on Android 12 and it will never be updated to Android 13.

#9

AFAICS, his options are:

  1. put up with the rapid drain, and recharge the RH aid during the day or early evening;

  2. go back to Android 11 on his phone – not easy but not impossible;

  3. buy either a new phone that comes with Android 13 or a used phone that already has, or will get, Android 13.

#10

I think we might go with option 3. He prefers small phones so we’ll most likely look at the Pixel 6a.

#11

I have the same issue with excessive battery drain on my Phonak Paradise Aideo P-90 R hearing aids with rechargeable batteries. I have a Pixel 5a. The problem started Android 12. Google Support eventually acknowledged the problem and have been “working on it” for several weeks. No date projected for a fix.

#12

I don’t think the 6a at 6.1 inches would be called small. Slightly smaller maybe? I just ordered one yesterday with the subscription plan. Usually buy the phone but the subscription from google FI was cheaper. LOL

#13

Yeah, I guess Galaxy S22 would be a better size analog to the S10e.

#14

Your Pixel 5a should get updated to Android 13 within the next month or two – and to Android 14 in 2023.

#15

Kind of off topic, but phone sizes: s10e is 5.8inches, s22 is 6.1

#16

This problem surfaced on my Pixel 4xl and Costco KS10 aids, when the phone upgraded to Android 12. I got my hearing aids in November 2021, and it worked great until around March 2022 I think, when Google upgraded to V 12.
I have chatted with Google Support’s Disability Support Team 3 times over the last few months. They are aware of the problem, but have not given an ETA for when it may get fixed.
For some reason when your phone is connected to the hearing aids, the primary hearing aid (usually the right one), will discharge a lot quicker than the left aid. Costco tried switching the left as the primary aid… it then discharged faster than the right aid.
Costco weren’t aware of the problem, so they exchanged the battery charger, sent my aids to their technical department… all to no avail… It looks like we may have to wait for Android version 13.

2 Likes
#17

Android 13 may be available as early as sometime this month (August). In the meantime, I have found that Android 13 Beta4 has already taken care of the problem, and the RH aid now sometimes even has more charge at the end of the day than the LH aid.

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#18

Thanks for that.
Have you found the ver 13 to be stable enough for general phone use?
Cheers

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#19

No problems so far. Do take note, however, that if you want to go back from the beta version to Android 12, you’ll need to do a full backup first, because going back to Android 12 will wipe out everything on your phone.

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#20

The latest Beta version of Android 13 with the security update it installs after it is finished has indeed cured the battery drain on the right hearing aid on my KS10’s. The beta Version 4.1 has been perfect since installation. No problems with any app. Faster than Android 12 and a nice all round improvement. This is on a Pixel 6 PRO, The camera app also has some nice new features and charging is faster also. My right aid, previously only had 12 to 18% of the left aid after 10 hours. Now with-in 1%, or the same! Great. 16 hours use now, not a problem.

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