Android owners urged to check their phone as Google ‘kills’ popular model

GOOGLE has essentially just axed one of its most popular smartphones as it looks to shift its focus onto newer models.

It comes as the tech behemoth is rumoured to be introducing a new lineup later this year.

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Google has issued the final update for its Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL phones, the company confirmed to 9to5Google.

It means that those who own these phones will no longer receive a software update for their device.

This could, unfortunately, leave many open to potential cybersecurity vulnerabilities.

Companies like Google and Apple introduce software updates for their smartphones fairly regularly, in a bid to introduce new features but to ultimately patch up security flaws to keep customers protected.

From here on out, the Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL will only have access to Google’s most recent February 2023 security patch.

Google started making hardware around its Android operating system in 2016.

The Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL were incredibly popular when they were first launched in 2019, as Google’s first phone with the face unlock feature.

But Google has introduced four successive lineups since then, including the most recent Google Pixel 7 and 7 Pro.

The Google Pixel 4 series has received three years worth of monthly Android security updates and Pixel-specific improvements.

The tech company, however, has been winding down its updates for the phone in recent months.

The most recent update, which brought in a number of security fixes, is the first since October 2022.

Traditionally, Google releases one final update after the monthly updates expire.

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