Verizon reportedly has no plans to sell the Google Pixel 4a or Pixel 5 [Updated]

Source: Android Central

What you need to know

A new report claims Verizon will not be selling any Pixel smartphone this year.
Verizon has so far been Google's closest carrier partner in the United States.
The limited commercial success of Pixel phones is said to be the main reason behind the Big Red's decision.

Update 2: February 20 11:20 AM ET:

Android Police has retracted their original story, saying their source was working with inaccurate information:

As of this morning, we're retracting that claim, because the previously reliable source from which we received it—a source that we know and trust, and provided information from a variety of contexts and sources—was incorrect. While we're unable to share more specific information, we have extremely good reason to believe that source was working with inaccurate, unreliable, or outdated information (or all three), which led to a conclusion which is not supported in reality.

Update: February 20 8:45 AM ET:

Verizon has denied the report saying it is "not true" and that it will continue to work with Google.

Verizon tells @CNET this morning that it isn’t getting rid of Pixel. “It’s not true. We continue to work with Google and look forward to the new portfolio of devices.” https://t.co/8dDeWgCkz9
— Eli Blumenthal (@eliblumenthal) February 20, 2020

When Google introduced its Pixel line of smartphones in 2016, it partnered with Verizon Wireless to sell them in the United States. Until last year, Verizon was also the exclusive carrier partner for Pixel phones in the U.S. As per a new report from Android Police, however, Big Red has now decided not to sell new Google Pixel smartphones.

Citing a source familiar with Verizon's plans, the report claims the chance of the Pixel 4a heading to Verizon "is now zero." The Pixel 5 isn't likely to be sold by the carrier either, although there is still a small chance that it might change its plans as the phone's launch date gets closer.

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While no specific reason behind the move has been cited, the folks at Android Police speculate that the limited commercial success of the Pixel line may have forced Verizon to change its mind. Although no numbers are currently available, Google did admit in its recent quarterly earnings report that its consumer hardware business registered a decline in revenue.

Google is expected to unveil the Pixel 4a series at I/O 2020, which is set to kick off on May 12. The Pixel 4a is said to be code-named Sunfish and could be powered by Qualcomm's mid-range Snapdragon 730 processor. A "mid-range" Pixel device with the newer and more powerful Snapdragon 765G chipset and 5G connectivity is also in the works. There is very little that we know about the Pixel 5 currently, except that it is going to ship with Android 11 out of the box and will likely be announced in early October.