If you’re an end-consumer who relies on Meta’s Portal or Portal+ video-calling devices to communicate with your friends and family, work remotely, and Zoom or Netflix, you may want to brace up. Information suggests that Meta is planning to discontinue its Portal line of products for consumers and instead focus on its business clients.

But why is Meta discontinuing Portal? What are the implications for users like you? Will you still be able to use your Portal devices, and will there still be support? Or is Portal shutting down completely?

We will answer some of these burning questions right here.

Why Is Meta Discontinuing Portal for Consumers?

According to feelers from sources like The Information and Variety, we can speculate that Meta is planning to discontinue Portal for consumers for two main reasons.

One reason is poor consumer sales. Sales figures released by IDC Research indicate that Meta sold 600,000 units of Portal in 2020 and 800,000 in 2021. By contrast, according to a Strategy Analytics report, the Google Nest Hub smart display device shipped over 1.5 million units in Q3 2021 alone.

It is also reported that the bulk of Portal hardware sales was to businesses trying to pivot to remote work and maintain video contact with employees post-pandemic.

Therefore, we can infer that low sales and poor ROI from the consumer segment are the key reasons why Meta is pulling the plug on Portal for consumers.

Although the Portal smart display device comes with Alexa built-in and packs some decent features like AI-powered Smart Camera and Smart Sound, among others, it has failed to garner sufficient traction with consumers.

What Are the Implications of Meta's Plan to Discontinue Portal for Consumers?

Going forward, Meta will reposition Portal to be more business-focused. But, what does this mean for you as a consumer?

Firstly, it means Meta will stop making new models of Portal for consumers. This is not-so-great news if you're a gadget head who likes to upgrade your hardware frequently.

However, Meta plans to sell off its leftover inventory of Portal hardware devices for consumers, with a promise to continue providing support for existing retail customers. How it hopes to achieve this remains to be seen. We also do not know if this "ongoing support" includes software upgrades.

Also, if you're into reselling your used devices, it's going to get even harder to find a willing buyer for your Portal line of products at a good price.

Will You Still Be Able to Use Your Portal Video-Calling Devices?

The answer is yes. You’ll still be able to make video calls with your Portal devices. However, the discontinuation of the consumer product line will shrink the Portal video call user base.

And with solid competition from the likes of Google Nest Hub and Amazon Echo Show, it is only a matter of time before more Portal consumers port over to other Portal alternatives.

Is Portal Shutting Down Completely?

The big question on the lips of many Portal users is, "is Portal really shutting down for good?" At this moment, we can only speculate based on available information.

And the information available to us suggests that, although Meta is discontinuing Portal for consumers, it will continue to cater to its corporate customers.

Some Portal users believe this is nothing more than a face-saving move—that Portal is indeed being closed. Well, only time will tell. Meanwhile, we've covered the best smart displays for your home if you're already looking for an alternative to your Facebook Portal device.

Should Portal Consumers Be Worried?

So, should you be worried? The answer is no, you shouldn't be worried, but you should be proactive. If Portal currently meets all your video-calling needs and more, then you should be fine.

Otherwise, you should start considering and researching other popular Portal alternatives like the Google Nest Hub or Amazon Echo Show.