Inq Mobile posted an announcement on its website that it has shut down. However, the Hutchison Whampoa-backed firm did not elaborate on the reason for its shutdown. Inq was among the first companies that built a Facebook phone, wrote TechCrunch.

Founded in 2008, Inq was pivoted last year to shift its focus to mobile software. The London-based firm said it will no longer send updates for its social magazine app Material, social media aggregator SO.HO, and its other apps. Still, support pages for its Cloud Touch smartphones and other feature phones are still available on its website, the report detailed.

The timing of the company's closure draws interest because many large tech companies have recently begun adding news apps and tools in their product offerings. These companies include Twitter, News Digest by Yahoo, Dataminr by CNN, and Paper by Facebook. The latter will be launched next month, the report explained.

Inq's Cloud Touch, although low-priced, was unable to compete with Samsung's fast takeover of the Android industry. Inq then pivoted and began developing mobile apps last year, TechCrunch reported.