Google has discontinued the $999 Chromebook Pixel ($1299 model still available)

Google’s Chrome OS has managed to make in-roads into various sectors, including education. Part of this has to do with the cloud-based platform’s relatively simple usability and all-inclusive functionality. The real key however, is the low price at which the hardware – Chromebooks – cost. Whereas a decent Windows-based laptop can retail for hundreds and hundreds of dollars, Chrome OS packing-products are typically a mere fraction of the cost. Except for Google’s own Chromebook Pixel.

The Chromebook Pixel starts at a “mere” thousand dollars and includes things such as a super high resolution display and touch-support. The original model even had optional LTE connectivity. While this product line will only appeal to a limited segment of an already limited – though growing – market, Google has just made the choice easier by making it more difficult. As of today, the lowest priced Pixel, the $999 variant, has been discontinued.

Here’s how Liliputing’s Brad Linder put it:

[The $999] model is out of stock… and a Google representative tells me the company has no plans of re-stocking the $999 Chromebook Pixel with a Core i5 processor, 8GB of RAM, and 32GB of storage.

You can still buy a $1299 model with a Core i7 CPU, 16GB of RAM and 64GB of storage though.

It’s unclear as to just why Google decided to discontinue the most affordable Pixel. There is likely a number of different factors, some of which may have been:

1. Customers might not have responded as well to it as they did the more expensive option.
2. Marketing data may have suggested it was overpriced when compared with competing products.
3. Component supply issues may have made it impossible to continue offering the product without raising the price.
4. Google might have sold through its remaining stock and plans to release a new model shortly.
5. Google worked with HP on the Chromebook 13 which is a premium – but cheaper – product that is fiscally more realistic for most customers.

The truth might be one of these factors, or a combination of some – or all – of them. It might even be something not considered at all. Still, the fact that there is now less choice for consumers, especially those who want a premium product like the Pixel, is never a good thing.

It remains to be seen as to if a new Chromebook Pixel will be released this year, but at least there is always the Pixel C.

What do you think? Does this decision baffle the mind or is it probably the product of progressive planning? Leave a comment below!