The original Google Pixel was met with praise from both reviewers and consumers when it hit shelves in late 2016. The Pixel 2 built upon that initial success the following year and helped grow the lineup’s market share in the US. 

Things took a turn for the worse in 2018 when the Pixel 3 failed to capture the attention like its predecessor, which inevitably led to a sales drop. Now, new data suggests the flagship Pixel 4 series has performed even worse.

Head of hardware, Rick Osterloh, revealed back in 2017 that Google hoped the Pixel line would transition from a niche product to a mainstream smartphone series by 2022. But following the recent 43% drop in sales, achieving that objective now seems extremely difficult. The Google Pixel 4a and Pixel 5 would likely have to become surprise smash hits to reach the milestone. Unfortunately, that potential success has now been complicated.

Google has lost two key Pixel executives in recent months

Aside from poor sales, the Pixel 4 series also led to internal rifts within Google. Before the new flagships had even been announced, Rick Osterloh voiced his disappointment with some of the decisions during a meeting.

In particular, the head of hardware was disappointed with the battery life. Since then, two key senior executives involved with the Pixel series since the very beginning have chosen to leave Google in recent months. 

Mario Queiroz left Hewlett-Packard to join Google in 2005. He has worked on several hardware products, including the first-ever Android smartphone in 2010, and held the title of Pixel General Manager. 

Queiroz reportedly transitioned into a more discrete role advising Sundar Pichai, CEO of Google, in August before departing the company entirely in January.