Google Pixel 4, Pixel 4XL discontinued after Pixel 4a goes official

Google has retired 2019 Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL flagship phones in less than a year of its release. The move comes shortly after the company launched Pixel 4a in the US. Google is expected to launch a flagship-level Pixel 5 very soon.

Google has also confirmed the discontinuation of Pixel 4 series saying its official hardware e-store had already cleared the inventory. Google further said that interested customers can buy phones through other platforms.

“… Just like all Pixel devices, Pixel 4 will continue to get software and security updates for at least three years from when the device first became available on the Google Store in the US,” Google told The Verge.

Google’s decision to stop selling its 2019 flagship phones in such a short period is a bit of strange. This is mainly because Google had a slightly better run with its hardware foray last year. According to a June IDC report, Google had shipped 7.2 million Pixel phones in 2019, more than 50% of what it did in 2018. It is worth noting that Google never launched its Pixel 4 phones in India.

Another theory is Google aims to push its new smartphones to consumers who are looking to upgrade. The strategy is in stark contrast to Samsung’s wherein the company reduces the prices of older flagships after the new ones arrive. Apple has of late begun practising a similar strategy for its phones, especially in price-sensitive markets such as India.

That said, Google has just launched the Pixel 4a in the US. The company will launch the phone in India in October. The company has also confirmed it will soon launch Pixel 5 and Pixel 4a 5G.