Google has stopped selling the Nexus 5, the company’s 2014 flagship Android smartphone. A Google spokesperson told The Verge today that “while some inventory of Nexus 5 still exists (with our retail and carrier partners), our focus is on the Nexus 6 at this time.” Searches for the older model on Google’s new hardware store show that the Nexus 5 is no longer available for purchase direct from Google.
THE NEXUS 5 IS NO LONGER AVAILABLE TO BUY ON THE GOOGLE STORE
The news corroborates a report released at the tail end of 2014 that said Google had discontinued production of the well-liked phone, and once stocks were depleted, it was “gone.” Google disputed the claim at the time, telling The Verge that the Nexus 5 would “continue to be available for sale on Google Play and through select retailers in Q1 2015.” The timing of this new statement means both were correct — Google did indeed plan to stop selling the Nexus 5, but its supplies kept it in stock for the first quarter of 2015.
The effective retirement of the Nexus 5 comes as Google tweaks its storefront to separate hardware and digital products. Previously the Nexus 5 — along with other Google and Android devices such as smartwatches and Chromebooks — was sold by the Google Play Store, alongside digital products like apps, music, and movies. As of today, the search giant has split software and hardware up, moving the latter to a new destination simply called the Google Store.
Source: TheVerge