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(Pocket-Lint)-Sonos, perhaps one of the most famous high-end audio companies, brought legal action against Google at the beginning of 2020.The US International Trade Commission (ITC) then decided in favor of Sonos in January 2022.

Here is what you need to know, including how it will affect you if you are a Google smart speaker user.

Why did Sonos continue Google?

Sonos said Google had copied its patented speaker technology and used it in Google Home, Google Nest products and Pixel products.

He also claims that Google subsidizes its devices to sell them at a lower price, and that it ultimately uses these same devices to collect data from buyers.

What did Sonos claim in his trial?

The New York Times reported that Sonos had in fact filed two proceedings.They covered five patents for a wireless speaker design.They also claimed that Google had stolen Sonos' multiroom speaker technology after accessing it via a partnership in 2013.Google would have used patented technology in Chromecast Audio, to allow Sonos speakers to support Google Play Music (now YouTube Music).

Google would have continued to use technology - even in the Google Home range and Pixel products.Despite the infringements, Sonos said that Google had shown no desire to work with it on a mutually beneficial solution.Through a separate case to the International Trade Committee, Sonos has requested a ban on sales in the United States of Google laptops, phones and speakers.

Google Pixel devices are listed as "counterfeit hardware controller devices" because they have preinquisite Google Audio Audio applications.

Did Sonos have proof?

From 2016, shortly after the launch of the first Google Home, Sonos said it started to warn Google of the violation.In February 2019, and after repeated warnings, Sonos said that he had accused Google of having violated a total of 100 patents.The company's trial has even referred to several reports indicating that Google's new features are similar to the existing Sonos features, such as:

Sonos also told the New York Times that when he tried to create an intelligent speaker that could take care of several platforms of voice assistants, Google and Amazon told Sonos that users inchoose one when configuring the speaker.Sonos said Google had threatened to withdraw his Google Sonos speaker assistant if he was never made available alongside a competitor like Alexa.

What Google devices are breaking Sonos?

The alleged counterfeit products include Chromecast, Chromecast Ultra, Nest Mini, Nest Hub, Nest Hub Max and Nest Wifi Point, Pixel phones, Slate pixel and Pixelbook laptopbook.

Why didn't Sonos also continue Amazon?

Sonos said that Amazon had also broken his patents with the Echo range, but the New York Times reported that Sonos leaders did not want to fight both Google and Amazon - two technology giants - before the courts at the courttime.

Have Google and Amazon responded?

Google and Amazon both denied Sonos' claims to the New York Times.

How does it all affect you?

This does not affect you at the moment, even if it could now that Sonos have won the trial.

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The import ban concerns Google devices imported into the United States, but ITC gave Google 60 days to comply before the prohibition comes into force.It is likely that Google will deploy software updates of its products which will offer different solutions that do not provide the five Sonos patents and therefore prevent the ban on performing.

The Verge reported that a Google spokesman said that ITC has already approved some of the measures and that certain circumvention solutions have already appeared, such as the volume adjustment.Rather than simultaneously adjusting the volume of all the speakers and devices of a group of speakers, users must adjust the volume of each device separately.Sonos allows both in its system, you can set in group or individually.

It is also said that "a small group of users may need to use" the Device Utility application "(DUA) to complete the installation and updates of the product", although it is possible thatThis affects new customers rather than existing customers.

For the moment, the impact is likely to be minimal on users of Google devices, even if it is always a huge victory for Sonos and it could have an impact on Google's devices in the future.