Google Pixel 7 Banned in Japan Over Patent Dispute

Google Pixel 7 is not the kind of smartphone that we expect to be subject to a legal defeat. The Japanese court has formally prohibited sales of the said model due to patent infringement.

The ruling said Google had infringed on standard-essential patents belonging to Pantech, earning the company a huge legal loss in a country where it has recently achieved explosive growth. From what happened, the company's increased visibility in the country will be affected.

Patent Dispute Focuses on LTE Technology and Violations of Licensing

Google Pixel 7 Banned in Japan Over Patent Dispute

As first reported by ETNews via Android Central, the center of contention lies in Pantech's patented technology for LTE "control signal mapping," a building block of how smartphones interact with cellular networks.

The patents are "standard-essential," as they are supposed to be licensed under FRAND (Fair, Reasonable, and Non-Discriminatory) terms to provide equal industry access.

Yet the court determined that Google employed the technology without obtaining appropriate licensing, in essence violating FRAND commitments. The fuel to the fire came when the court criticized Google's handling of the case as "insincere," a severe criticism that also likely led the court to implement a ban on sales.

Unprecedented Ruling in Japan Raises Stakes for Google

This ruling is practically unheard of in Japan, the first known case of a sales ban on account of a standard-essential patent. Although such issues occur in the tech side of litigation, courts generally try to compel settlements or licensing deals instead of direct bans, so this case is particularly significant.

While the Pixel 7 is approaching its three-year point and has already been removed from Google's official Japan store, the impacts are far-reaching beyond a single line of products.

Pantech Now Targets Pixel 8 and Pixel 9 Models

With the Pixel 7 line already in decline, the short-term commercial impact will be negligible. But Pantech isn't done yet.

The company is now targeting Google's newest devices, the Pixel 8 and Pixel 9, for a ban in Japan. It's something that could significantly hamper Google's momentum in one of its brightest overseas markets.

This is more than a legal headache for the search engine giant, which is often the subject of related legal matters.

Google Growth in Japan Now Meets Legal Challenges

In the last two years, Google has been on a high tide in Japan's competitive smartphone business. The company registered an impressive 527% year-on-year growth by the end of 2023, becoming one of the strongest non-domestic contenders in the market, as per IDC.

With Japan being a key growth driver for Google, this ban extension could seriously hurt not just hardware sales but even the overall growth of the company's ecosystem.

Can Google Appeal?

Google can appeal the verdict or seek a licensing deal, but either course, the case establishes a potent precedent. It also makes one thing perfectly clear: Japan's courts will go to aggressive lengths to uphold patent protections, even against Silicon Valley giants.