Reports are emerging that Samsung is deleting local search functionality from Galaxy S3 handsets.
According to Android Central, the new update – named XXBLG6 – is appearing on international versions of the S3 and stops users being able to use the Google search bar to peruse apps on the phone.
This is something that's been long suspected as coming for the US models, following Apple's legal win over the use of such functionality, but for it to roll out to international models, over which no such ruling has been made, is confusing.
It's being badged as a 'stability update', which will irk users who aren't given a full change-log of what the update actually brings.
Wait, what's this?
Adding to that is the fact TechRadar has learned other models are getting a 'lower' update, which is three times the size, and while it also works as a bug-fixing, stability bringing change (as well as allowing brightness to be controlled from the notifications bar) it doesn't affect search powers.
Whether the XXBLG6 update is coming to the UK has yet to be determined, but let us know if you've got anything appearing on your phone asking you to update the software.
We've had a quiet word with Samsung over this and we'll let you know what's going on from a legal standpoint – go have an ice cream while we wait to get the news.
