ZTE has confirmed that the Axon 7 is no longer being manufactured. The news comes via a Reddit user that spoke to one of the Chinese OEM’s customer service representatives and was apparently told that while the mid-range device “could become available in the future,” it is “currently end of life”.

According to the user’s full chat log with a ZTE rep: “As of now, The Axon 7 Ion Gold and Quartz Gray will not be available for sale going forward.”

If your memory is a little hazy, the Axon 7 launched in mid-2016 and quickly become a favorite of ours here at Android Authority. Its premium metal design, front-facing HiFi speakers, and overall impressive price-performance ratio led many to dub the phone a true “flagship killer”.

Various Axon 7 models debuted in the following months, such as the Axon 7 Mini and Axon 7s, but ZTE’s next major Axon-brand release was the Axon M – a bold, dual-screen phone that couldn’t quite deliver on its ambitious initial premise of a foldable future due to underwhelming specs and a general lack of utility for the second screen.

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Over a year on from the Axon 7’s initial release and there has been no sign of a direct successor. Thankfully though, we already know a follow-up is all-but-guaranteed.

Just a few weeks ago, a Twitter user contacted ZTE’s official account hoping for a small hint that another mid-tier delight is in the works. Surprisingly, ZTE responded, stating: “There will certainly be a follow on to the incredibly successful Axon 7.”

The king is dead, long live the Axon 8? Let us know your thoughts on the Axon 7’s retirement in the comments.