Google is currently facing a sales ban in Japan for its Google Pixel 7 series after a patent dispute with Korean mobile phone company Pantech. The district court in Japan has ruled that Google infringed on a patent related to LTE connectivity, leading to the ban on the sales of Pixel 7 phones in the country. The dispute has escalated, with Pantech now targeting the Pixel 8 and Pixel 9 series as well. Unless a compromise is reached between the two companies, Google's future in the Japanese market could be at risk.
Pantech's lawsuit against Google claims that the tech giant used patented technology related to LTE modem communication without proper licensing. Google's refusal to cooperate, including paying a reasonable royalty fee and providing sales data for Pixel 7 phones, has led to the current ban on the devices in Japan. With Pantech now targeting the newer Pixel models, the stakes are high for Google in one of its key markets.
It remains to be seen how the legal battle between Google and Pantech will unfold and what impact it will have on Google's smartphone sales in Japan.
