Google's Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL are officially no more
UPDATE: The untimely death sentence of the Pixel 4 and 4 XL has been officially signed shortly after we published our original article, with the US Google Store listing the two devices as completely “out of stock” at the time of this update. Nothing seems to have changed as far as third-party retailers and carriers go, so if you still want to buy either phone… for some reason, you can find the links below.
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Whether you’re excited by the impending arrival of the Pixel 4a or disappointed that it took Google so long to unveil its sequel to undoubtedly one of the best mid-range smartphones of 2019, you have to admit this hot new thing looks like a very compelling value proposition.
Unfortunately, the same could not be said about the high-end Pixel 4 and 4 XL, which made their joint debut last fall at some arguably excessive starting prices of $800 and $900 respectively with unremarkable designs and unimpressive overall specs in tow. While the two handsets may have not sold quite so poorly as initially believed, they were definitely not runaways hits either, presumably boosting their numbers with the help of several massive discounts repeatedly offered by a bunch of authorized retailers.
Although you can still purchase the Pixel 4 duo from the likes of Best Buy, Amazon, and AT&T, the end is officially near, with the US Google Store all out of inventory and Pixel 4/4 XL sales labeled as “completed” in a statement issued to The Verge. Curiously enough, both phones appear to be available directly from their manufacturers at the time of this writing in unlocked black variants with 128GB storage space, but we’re guessing that won’t be the case much longer.
The company is also highlighting the “product” will remain on sale at the aforementioned “partners while supplies last.” There’s no telling how long that will be, but until the two phones’ list prices are significantly reduced again, we’re obviously not recommending you purchase the Snapdragon 855 powerhouses.
There are a lot of better choices on the market today at lower prices with similar or superior levels of processing power, battery life, and camera capabilities, not to mention the excellent bang for buck provided by the $350 Pixel 4a.
The Pixel 4a, by the way, is the only mobile device Google will be selling for the next few months, which says a lot about the company’s progress (or lack thereof) in the hardware space these last four years. It’s truly rare to see a mainstream high-end smartphone discontinued less than a year after its commercial release, and it’s even more rare for that to happen before a sequel enters the picture. But hey, at least we know the Pixel 5 is coming (relatively) soon.