Google was found guilty of using Pantech’s LTE tech without proper licensing.
The Pixel 7 series has already been removed from Google’s official Japan store.
Pantech may now target newer Pixel phones, including the Pixel 8 and 9.
In a rare legal blow, a Japanese court has ordered Google to stop the sales of Google Pixel 7 series smartphones. This comes after the court concluded that the devices infringe on patents owned by South Korean company Pantech. Notably, this is the first time a Japanese court has blocked sales over a standard-essential patent (SEP), restricting the market of the company. Here’s the exact reason why authorities banned the Pixel 7 series in the Japanese market.
SurveyWhy Pixel 7 series get banned in Japan?
Google’s unauthorised use of Pantech’s patented “control signal mapping” technology, which regulates how smartphones connect to LTE networks, is the reason for the ban, according to the report. In order to maintain innovation’s accessibility throughout the industry, these patents are usually licensed under FRAND (Fair, Reasonable, and Non-Discriminatory) terms. Nonetheless, a major component of the decision was the court’s conclusion that Google had improperly licensed the patent and even called the company’s approach “insincere.”
Also read: Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra 5G price drops by Rs 36,411 on Flipkart
What now?
The company has already de-listed the Pixel 7 series from the official stores. While the Pixel 7 series is near the end of its lifecycle, this court’s decision can also trouble future models. Pantech has already hinted that it is now targeting Google’s newer phones, including the Pixel 8 and Pixel 9 series.
It should be noted that Japan is one of the most important markets for Google. The company has reportedly seen a surge in sales in 2023 and has not looked behind ever since. As per IDC report, Japan saw explosive growth with a 527% year-over-year surge, largely driven by strong sales of the Pixel 7 series and the Pixel 7a. Further, CounterPoint Research stated that Google held the third spot in the overall mobile market share in 2024, with a slight decrease in sales last year.
Now, given that the Pixel 7 series is under scrutiny with a possible impact on the Pixel 8 and the latest Pixel 9 series, it will be interesting to see how Google retains its market share and top 3 spot.
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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
