Google has stopped production of the Pixel 4 and 4 XL phones

Less than a year after its launch, Google has stopped production of its flagship smartphones, the Pixel 4 and 4 XL.

The two models were launched in October 2019. The announcement comes shortly after Google announced the mid-range Pixel 4a model, which comes with a camera similar to the one on the two more expensive phones and costs only $350.

The devices will be able to be found for a while at retailers, as long as there are stocks, reports The Verge.

Like other models in the company’s portfolio, the two terminals receive guaranteed software updates for three years.

Google stopped production of another model, the Pixel 3a, after just one year. By comparison, the Pixel 2 and Pixel 3 series have been available each for 18 months.

The company announced that it will launch, in the fall, Pixel 5 and a 5G version of Pixel 4a.

The Pixel 4 series did not enjoy popularity

The Pixel 4 series did not sell well, and the poor results led to the departure of several managers from the company.

Google sold just 2 million units in the first six months, according to market research firm IDC. Poor sales were caused by poor battery life, especially on the smaller model, but also by the lack of still popular features, such as the fingerprint sensor.

By comparison, Google managed to sell 3.5 million Pixel 3 units in half a year, although the devices in this family were not very well received by specialists and consumers.