Google has finally called time on the original Pixel smartphones first released in 2016. It had continued to sell the Pixel and Pixel XL alongside the next-generation models following their launch last year, but this has now come to an end.
Google has officially discontinued the original Pixel smartphone it first launched in October 2016. Both the standard and XL variants are now no longer available for sale through its online store. Instead, the company is now solely focused on shifting its successor, the Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL.
The original Pixel broke new ground for smartphone camera photography by utilizing an original Google imaging method based on one of the company’s famous algorithms. The device is powered by a Snapdragon 821 SoC, the immediate predecessor to the Snapdragon 835 found in the Pixel 2 models. The Pixel 3 is currently in the late stages of development and is expected to arrive in (or before) October and will be powered by a Snapdragon 845.
The Pixel and Pixel XL can still be found on sale through a variety of other channels, with its price dropping down to around US$549. It retains a 3.5mm headphone jack, but misses out on water resistance. Although falling behind in outright performance, it is still a solid mid-range contender and will remain relevant for the next 12 months with a planned update to Android P coming later this year.
Sanjiv Sathiah - Senior Tech Writer - 1467 articles published on Notebookcheck since 2017
I have been writing about consumer technology over the past ten years, previously with the former MacNN and Electronista, and now Notebookcheck since 2017. My first computer was an Apple ][c and this sparked a passion for Apple, but also technology in general. In the past decade, I’ve become increasingly platform agnostic and love to get my hands on and explore as much technology as I can get my hand on. Whether it is Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Linux, Nintendo, Xbox, or PlayStation, each has plenty to offer and has given me great joy exploring them all. I was drawn to writing about tech because I love learning about the latest devices and also sharing whatever insights my experience can bring to the site and its readership.