Japan’s courts have banned the sale of Google Pixel 7 smartphones due to a patent dispute. The Pixel 8 and Pixel 9 series may soon face the same sales ban.
Why the Ban?
A Tokyo district court ruled that Google infringed on a standards essential patent (SEP) held by South Korean company Pantech. This patent relates to the LTE modem technology that Pixel phones use to communicate with cell towers.
Pantech says Google used the patented method without obtaining a proper license. Such patents are essential for product manufacturing and must be licensed under fair and reasonable terms.
Google’s Response
Google delayed negotiations and refused to agree on licensing terms. The company asked for a confidentiality clause, which Pantech called unnecessary. Google also did not provide a proposed royalty rate, saying it was “too complex” to calculate.
Because Google did not cooperate and failed to share sales data with the court, the judge imposed a sales ban on the Pixel 7 in Japan.
What’s Next?
Pantech has already filed lawsuits to block sales of the Pixel 8, Pixel 9, and their Pro models. If Google and Pantech cannot reach an agreement, Google might have to pull its Pixel smartphones from the Japanese market.
Market Impact
Japan is an important market for Google. The Pixel brand holds about 5.8% market share there, second only to Apple’s iPhone with over 62%. Samsung and Xiaomi follow behind Google.
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