Japanese court orders halt on Pixel 7 sales over LTE signal mapping patent violation.
Pantech now targeting Google’s newer Pixel 8 and upcoming Pixel 9 models.
The ruling stems from a case initiated by patent monetisation firm IdeaHub.
Google has suffered a significant legal setback after a Japanese court found that the company had violated a telecommunications patent owned by Pantech, a South Korean company. Consequently, Google has been prohibited from selling its Pixel 7 series smartphones within the country. According to ETNews, the court has ordered Google not to sell, display, transfer or import any Pixel 7 device in Japan.
SurveyThe contested patent relates to signal mapping technology, which is an essential part of LTE (4G) communication networks. It focuses on the acknowledgment signal (ACK) transmission process from base stations to devices, which is crucial for dependable data transfer in mobile communications.
The report further added that the court has criticised Google’s handling of the case calling it insincere attitude during proceedings as a factor contributing to strict ruling. As a result, the company has halted the Pixel 7 series sales in one of its most important global markets.
According to the reports, the legal battle is far from over, but this is not it. Similar prohibitions on the Pixel 8 and upcoming Pixel 9 series are being actively sought by Pantech, which may have larger consequences for Google’s smartphone business in the region. For those who are unaware, Japan has emerged as one of the brand’s most important markets, particularly since 2023.
On the other hand, Pantech still has a substantial patent portfolio despite having stopped its mobile operations and not released a smartphone in years. The report added that the case was initiated by IdeaHub, which is a patent monetisation company. This company specialises in protecting its clients’ intellectual property rights.
Speaking of the impact, this decision may not have a broader consequence on the Pixel 7 series. However, if the Google Pixel 8 and Pixel 9 series were also impacted, it could potentially halt the company’s growth in Japan.
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Ashish Singh
Ashish Singh is the Chief Copy Editor at Digit. He's been wrangling tech jargon since 2020 (Times Internet, Jagran English '22). When not policing commas, he's likely fueling his gadget habit with coffee, strategising his next virtual race, or plotting a road trip to test the latest in-car tech. He speaks fluent Geek. View Full Profile
