Skip to main content

Google discontinues Pixel 5, Pixel 4a 5G after Pixel 5a launch

Google has discontinued the Pixel 5 and Pixel 4a 5G barely 10 months after launch, the company confirmed this week. While eagle-eyed observers had noticed fluctuating stock levels on both Pixels globally, Google had yet to officially weigh in one way or the other until now.

“With our current forecasts, we expect Google Store in the U.S. to sell out of Pixel 4a (5G) and Pixel 5 in the coming weeks following the launch of Pixel 5a (5G). The Pixel 5a (5G) is a great option for customers and delivers valuable hardware upgrades compared to the Pixel 4a (5G), all at a lower price point,” a Google spokesperson confirmed to Digital Trends. This will also apply to non-U.S. markets, with UK vendors like Carphone Warehouse and John Lewis no longer stocking the older Pixels. The older Pixel 4a remains on sale as a low-cost Pixel option.

Recommended Videos

While the Pixel 5a 5G offers many of the same features you’ll find in the Pixel 4a 5G and Pixel 5, with the IP67 rating and metal body offering durability boosts over the 4a 5G and the larger battery adding staying power over the 5, it’s not going to be an option in international markets. Google has explicitly limited the Pixel 5a 5G to the U.S. and Japan.

This means once the current crop of Pixels sells out, your only hope for a 5G Pixel would be the premium-priced Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro. While it seems counterintuitive for Google to drop its Pixels without even releasing the next batch, it makes a bit of sense. The reason for the Pixel 5a 5G’s limited launch is due to a chip shortage affecting the Snapdragon 765 which powers both older Pixels. If Google can’t secure enough chips to launch the new 5a 5G widely, it certainly can’t secure enough to keep two older devices on the shelves.

Fortunately, users in international markets won’t suffer a dearth of cheap Android phones as evidenced by phones like the Samsung Galaxy A52s 5G, the OnePlus Nord 2, Xiaomi’s Mi 11 Lite 5G, and so many others. With Google having covered two markets that are typically neglected by Chinese phones, what appeared to be a puzzling decision makes a lot of sense in hindsight.

Michael Allison
Former Digital Trends Contributor
A UK-based tech journalist for Digital Trends, helping keep track and make sense of the fast-paced world of tech with a…
Boost Mobile’s new 5G unlimited plans are here, and they’re cheap
Boost Mobile logo as of July 2024.

Boost Mobile is shaking up the wireless industry today with the launch of its new 5G Boost Mobile Network. With the 5G Boost Mobile Network, the company is bringing consumers easy-to-understand cellular plans that are more flexible, starting at just $25/month for unlimited 5G service

This move also combines Boost Mobile and Boost Infinite into a single brand: Boost Mobile. This makes Boost Mobile the only carrier that has both prepaid and postpaid mobile services under a single name rather than splitting them up between the two names like before.

Read more
T-Mobile just made its 5G Home Internet plan cheaper; here’s the new price
Cell phone tower shooting off pink beams with a 5G logo next to it.

T-Mobile, the nation's third-largest carrier, recently dropped the price of its home internet plan. The company is also offering a prepaid Mastercard for customers who sign up for the service.

As reported by CNET, the T-Mobile Home Internet plan is decreasing in price from $60 to $50 per month. This new rate includes a $5 monthly discount for enrolling in automatic payments. Customers can save up to $20 monthly when bundling the service with the company's Go5G Next, Go5G Plus, or Magenta Max phone plans.

Read more
5 phones you should buy instead of the Google Pixel 8a
The Google Pixel 8a's screen.

Everyone loves a bargain, and it's hard to argue that the Google Pixel 8a is anything but. With a flagship processor and one of the best phone cameras around, the $499 smartphone has the specs to make it a steal. But Google hasn't just crammed great hardware into the phone, as it also has one of the cleanest implementations of Android 14, all of Google's current AI roster, and an incredible seven years of software updates to boot. It's a cheap phone that can go the distance, and one we are more than happy to recommend.

But it's not perfect. The battery is a little weak, as is its charging ability — and the less said about the cheap-feeling plastic body, the better. So even though it's a strong phone, there are a number of alternatives that could pull your eyes away from Google's latest midrange phone.

Read more