Tech Insights - Sonos Wins Patent Infringement Lawsuit Against Google for Smart Speaker Control

The US International Trade Commission has issued a finding that Google imported, or sold after importation, devices that were in violation of several Sonos’ patents relating to smart speaker device control. This has led to the ban of several Google Home devices and Pixel smartphones to the United States. In response, Google issued notices of changes to its smart speaker interfaces, most notably that speakers had to have their volumes changed individually.

Google does not expect the ban to impact its ability to import products; suggesting that software workarounds for the patents are either already in place or will be in place at the end of the grace period before the ban comes into effect.