Google’s Pixel 3a might have been good news for fans of mid-range phones, but it marked the death knell for one of the company’s signature phone features: its customizable cases. The 9to5Google crew has discovered that Google axed the personalized My Cases it introduced alongside the Pixel 3, leaving you with just the ordinary fabric cases if you insist on getting official protection. The company’s support page now says that the accessories are “no longer sold by Google.”

The company introduced Live Cases back in early 2016 for the Nexus 5X, 6 and 6P, using a clever NFC feature to provide wallpaper that matched the shell on your phone. Google dropped NFC when the Pixel 2 rolled around, and switched to its photo-based My Cases for the Pixel 3.

While the move is unfortunate for anyone who wanted a truly one-of-a-kind phone, it’s not surprising. Google is now selling four phones, which could add to the challenge of offering cases in large-enough volumes. There’s also the simple matter of cost cutting. The company may be under greater pressure to turn a profit from its phone business, and that could mean cutting non-essentials like My Case.

Source: engadget.com