google: Sonos to Google: Entirely your decision to inflict further harm to customers

Google and Sonos appear to be back at fighting again. Google has reportedly blamed the smart speaker maker Sonos for an issue that is preventing some new Pixel smartphone owners to set up their smart home devices. According to a report in Android Central, Google says that some Pixel phones are temporarily unable to set up new smart home products. The company has blamed the disruption on Sonos, though it did not elaborate. The issue seems related to the recent import ban that Sonos won against Google and the ongoing patent case between the two companies.
What Google says
“As members of our community, we know that many of you use several products to build your smart home, and even the smallest change can impact how things work. Unfortunately, because of an interruption caused by Sonos, a small number of you using Pixel phones in the US and Canada may be unable to set up devices at this time. We are hopeful that this is a temporary decision that only impacts a small number of you,” said Google in a blog post.
What Sonos says
“Google’s Pixel disruption is the direct result of its decision to infringe Sonos’ patents rather than license them, as the International Trade Commission ruled,” a Sonos spokesperson told the website. “It is entirely Google’s decision to inflict further harm to its customers rather than behave responsibly, and it’s the height of arrogance to try to blame the company whose innovations it’s misappropriating.”
Google’s workaround for affected users
Google has also shared tips for users affected by the glitch in the post. If you are attempting to set up a device that hasn’t been connected to Wifi for some time (or ever), you may encounter the message “Device needs to be activated before setup” in the Google Home app. When this happens, please follow the appropriate steps below:
* If your device has Google TV or Android TV, use the setup flow on your TV to activate your device.
* If you live outside of the US or Canada, follow these steps to activate your device using the Device Utility app
* If you live in the US or Canada, please give us a call or chat
Google-Sonos legal war
Earlier this year, Sonos won lawsuit at the US International Trade Commission against Google. Sonos had filed two lawsuits concerning five patents on wireless speaker design against the search giant. The company also requested a sales ban on a wide range of Google products. ITC ruled in Sonos’ favour that Google has infringed all five patents the former brought to court. In response, Google had to change how some of its speakers worked. This also includes reducing some functionality. Google has appealed against the ITC ruling.