Japanese Court Bans Sales of Google Pixel 7 Smartphones Over Patent Dispute

The Tokyo District Court has prohibited Google from selling all models of its Pixel 7 smartphone series in Japan. This ruling stems from a patent dispute between Google and the South Korean mobile device manufacturer Pantech, concerning a method for processing control signals in LTE networks, as reported by Mlex.

Pantech’s patent claim asserts that «each technical component» of Google’s Pixel 7 smartphone infringes on its patented technology. The company has sought a court order requiring Google to halt the sale of the aforementioned product.

The court found that Google had consistently avoided discussions, failed to disclose crucial sales information, and showed no intention of obtaining a license for the contested technology. Consequently, Google was deemed a «bad faith licensee» and is now barred from selling the Pixel 7 smartphones in Japan. The court has allocated a 30-day period for filing an appeal and imposed legal costs on Google.

Pantech is not stopping there; it has also filed similar lawsuits to prohibit sales of the Pixel 8 and Pixel 9 series. This could pose a significant challenge for Google, as its smartphones enjoy immense popularity in Japan, with the upcoming Pixel 10 launch now at risk.

Once a major player in the mobile phone market during the late 2000s and early 2010s, Pantech struggled to compete effectively and has since transformed into a «patent monetization business.» The company has previously litigated and won against giants such as OnePlus and Niantic, the developer of Pokemon Go.