Samsung: universal search removal was 'inadvertent' on UK Galaxy S3

Samsung: universal search removal was 'inadvertent' on UK Galaxy S3
We didn't mean it, honest guv.

Samsung has confirmed to TechRadar that it accidentally removed Google's universal search function on its flagship handset.

The Galaxy S3 was subject to a software upgrade recently - XXBLG6 - in the UK, which stripped the ability to search the phone for files, apps and contacts using the dedicated Google widget.

However, a spokesperson for Samsung told us: "The most recent software upgrade for the Galaxy S III in the UK included the inadvertent removal of the universal search function. Samsung will provide the correct software upgrade within the next few days."

Odd move

The move is interesting as there was no reason to lose the functionality in the UK at all, as while in the US the service was deemed to infringe Apple's patents, there was no such ruling in this territory.

How Samsung managed to 'accidentally' remove the feature in a recent software roll out is mysterious - it seems suspicious that a large corporation would make such a mistake. Surely Samsung wouldn't have made such a move then get cold feet with the backlash - it's not the first time it's had to do such a thing with a phone, after all.

However, the good news is a new update will be landing in the next few days to rectify the problem, which will please those that love the (admittedly scarcely used by many users) feature that makes it much easier to call up old messages and music on the go.

We've asked Samsung for more information on what actually happened here, and will update this story with more details should we get them.

Gareth Beavis
Formerly Global Editor in Chief

Gareth has been part of the consumer technology world in a career spanning three decades. He started life as a staff writer on the fledgling TechRadar, and has grown with the site (primarily as phones, tablets and wearables editor) until becoming Global Editor in Chief in 2018. Gareth has written over 4,000 articles for TechRadar, has contributed expert insight to a number of other publications, chaired panels on zeitgeist technologies, presented at the Gadget Show Live as well as representing the brand on TV and radio for multiple channels including Sky, BBC, ITV and Al-Jazeera. Passionate about fitness, he can bore anyone rigid about stress management, sleep tracking, heart rate variance as well as bemoaning something about the latest iPhone, Galaxy or OLED TV.