With the new Pixel 9 range now available to pre-order, Google is discontinuing several Pixel devices including a foldable that came out less than a year ago.
The company is no longer selling its debut folding phone, the Pixel Fold, along with the older Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro, as spotted by 9to5Google.
Not only have the models in question been pulled from Google’s online store, but they will also gradually be ditched by other major retailers. That means the only way to buy them will be through third-party sellers on online marketplaces including eBay and second-hand shops.
The move won’t come as much of a shock, at least as far as the Pixel 7 is concerned. The phone is a couple of years old and comes up short compared with the new Pixel 9 in several departments.
It has an older Tensor G2 processor (versus the new G4), 8GB of RAM (whereas you get 12GB on the latest model), and a 12MP ultra-wide camera (compared with a superior 48MP).
That’s still not too shabby, especially considering it has 5G connectivity.
What is surprising is that the Pixel Fold is being binned, too. Google released this to much fanfare last September, but its massive £1,749 price tag put it out of reach of most buyers.
A quick look at its specifications reveals it’s not dissimilar to its successor, the clumsily titled Pixel 9 Pro Fold. The only major difference is that the new phone is slightly larger and has the same new G4 chip as the rest of the Pixel 9 range.
Google’s decision to discontinue the Fold marks the latest chapter in the rapid obsolescence of smartphones as on-device AI takes centre stage. The Pixel 9’s brand-new innards are designed to take advantage of Google’s long list of AI tricks, which can handle everything from editing images to transcribing calls.
Rival Apple has also revealed that only the recent iPhone 15 Pro and beyond will handle its competing AI tools, dubbed Apple Intelligence. Upon releasing the iPhone 15 last September, the company discontinued several older models, including the then-year-old iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max.
