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The Pixel 7 series has been banned in Japan. This handset has also been removed from Google’s official Japan Store. Know what is the reason behind this?
Google’s Pixel handset is facing legal shock in Japan. Pixel 7 series smartphones have been banned in Japan due to a legal screw. This stay has been imposed by a Japanese court. The decision came when the court found that these devices were violating the patents of South Korean company Pantech.
The special thing is that this is the first time a Japanese court has banned sales due to a standard-essential patent (SEP), which has affected the company’s market. Let us tell you what is the exact reason for banning the Pixel 7 series in the Japanese market?
According to the report, Google has been banned due to the use of Pantech’s patented “control signal mapping” technology without permission. This technique controls how smartphones connect to LTE network. Typically, these patents are licensed under FAIR, Reasonable, and Non-Discriminatory conditions to maintain innovation access to the industry. However, the court concluded that Google had improperly licensed this patent and also called the company’s approach “untrue”.
After this Adalati action, the company has removed the Pixel 7 series from its official stores. By the way, the trouble will not be over. After the Pixel 7 series, Pantech has indicated that it is now targeting Google’s new phones, including Pixel 8 and Pixel 9 series.
It is worth noting that Japan is one of the most important markets for Google. According to reports, in the year 2023, Google’s handset sales have seen a surge and since then the company has not looked back. According to the IDC report, Japan saw an explosive increase of 527% year-on-year, which was mainly inspired by the strong sales of Pixel 7 Series and Pixel 7A.
In addition, Countterpoint Research reported that in 2024, Google finished third in the total mobile market share, although sales had declined slightly last year.
Now, when Pixel 7 is under the scope of 7 series checks and it can also affect Pixel 8 and Latest Pixel 9 Series, it will be interesting to see how Google maintains its market share and top 3 location.
