Google has stopped production and sales of its Pixel 4 and 4 XL smartphones, after only nine months on store shelves. The company confirmed that the phones would be discontinued after both models were listed as out of stock on the Google Store in the US and Canada, though remaining inventory may still be on sale in other markets.
The Pixel 4 and 4 XL launched in October of last year as Google’s flagship models for 2019. Reviewers and fans loved the phones’ camera performance, lightweight version of Android, and face unlocking features, but the much-hyped Motion Sense capabilities and both models’ battery life left users underwhelmed.
The decision to pull the plug on the phones is coming much earlier for the Pixel 4 than its predecessors – the first three Pixel models each lasted for 18 months. Combined with a high price tag at launch and stiff competition from the likes of Apple and Samsung, Google’s offering likely wasn’t a strong enough seller to keep continued production worthwhile during the pandemic.
Fans looking for what the Pixel 4 has to offer aren’t going to be left without options. Google appears to be refocusing its efforts on the recently released Pixel 4A, a phone that shares the Pixel 4’s camera and minimalistic Android OS, but at less than half the price of the original. A 5G version of the Pixel 4A is also set to launch later this year, as well as the flagship Pixel 5 models.
Google’s phones are well-known for having a better track record than other Android manufacturers for continued software and security updates, and while the Pixel 4 line is being pulled from store shelves, current owners should still expect the phones to be supported until 2022.
Source: SlashGear
