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Google working on software patch to avoid Galaxy Nexus sales ban

The code is being pushed to the flagship Android phone to avoid a U.S. sales injunction rooted in a patent rumble with Apple.

Eric Mack Contributing Editor
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Within hours of a federal judge denying Samsung's request to delay a ban on U.S. sales of its Galaxy Nexus phone rooted in a patent tussle with Apple, Google says it is already working on pushing out a patch to address the issue.

The company behind the software on the Android OS reference device told All Things D that the software patch is meant to avoid infringing on an Apple patent for universal search, which District Court Judge Lucy Koh ruled on Friday was a valid reason to halt sales of the favored Ice Cream Sandwich and now Android 4.1 Jelly Bean-compatible phone in the U.S.

The patch is looked upon as only a temporary solution to the patent issue by Samsung and Google -- the Korean phone maker plans to continue to appeal the ban, which can go into effect legally as soon as Apple posts a $96 million bond. Google says it will support Samsung in that effort.

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Meanwhile, sales of the Galaxy Nexus from the Google Play store appear to have been halted, with the phone's availability status changed to "Coming Soon."

So for now it appears to be a race to see which will be in place first -- the patch or the cash, with the future of American Galaxy Nexus sales hanging in the balance, and on the 4th of July, no less. The humanity!

One thing we've all learned from this latest development -- if you ever felt scorned while waiting what seems like an interminable amount of days for an update to your phone, the feeling is apparently justified now that we've witnessed the breathtaking speed at which Google is working to push out this patch to satiate the legal system.