Sprint's Galaxy S III update removes local search abilities

By Jerry Hildenbrand
last updated

Yesterday we heard that the Sprint Galaxy S III was in the midst of getting a small "security" update over-the-air, but with little detail of what exactly was changed. The jury is still out about any security fixes, but one thing that was changed is that you can no longer use the Google search bar to search for local content on the device. This comes on the heels of yet another legal battle between Apple and Samsung, where the unified search ability was enough to get the Galaxy Nexus on a do-not-sell list for about a week.

Luckily, it's pretty easy to fix by using the Google search bar app from a previous version. If you've received the update and miss your universal search, hit the link below for the AC forums thread for details on getting it back.

Samsung, Sprint, we get it. You were forced to make these changes. But calling it a security update and not filling in your users about the full scope of what was being changed on their phones is dirty pool. We expect, and deserve, a little better. 

Source: Sprint Galaxy S III forums

Jerry Hildenbrand
Jerry Hildenbrand
Senior Editor — Google Ecosystem

Jerry is an amateur woodworker and struggling shade tree mechanic. There's nothing he can't take apart, but many things he can't reassemble. You'll find him writing and speaking his loud opinion on Android Central and occasionally on Twitter.

34 Comments
  • ALways thought it was a cool idea... but I honestly never used it.
  • Never used it!? It integrates with multiple apps so if you wanna wiki or imdb something or translate, shop, music, notes. Anything! Its the single best feature of android as an os! I still remember the og droid commercial where it first showed local search and asked "can your do this?" I didn't realize siri came out before the droid. GOOGLE YOU THIEVES!
  • briankurtz79... Just to your information, when people are thieves, it`s easy to steal from them. If Google a thieves so Apple! Just on example the slide to unlock the screen, Apple stolen this feature and more you and I we both don`t know yet.
    So Google did what the other doing anyway.
  • I knew if I didn't write (sarcasm:/) someone wouldn't get it....
  • Considering the impending court case against apple for stealing siri from a chinese company that developed and implemented it in China in 2004 and considering all of the previous successful cases against apple for copyright and patent breachs that's a pretty rich statement 'google you thieves'. Considering the Promis software case and the Yankee 'pirating' with an illegally obtained copy of megaupload files and the 'stolen' music in the anti-copyright piracy adds this entire intellectual property field is bogus. And i understand the NZ govt has been found guilty of illegally copying Microsoft operating systems for its computers... basically it's the bully in the playground environment and has nothing to do with artists having their creativity protected. It's all just bullshit!
  • The first time I used it was after I heard it was banned...wanted to see what all the hub-bub was about. I could see it as useful, and will use it some now, but won't lose sleep if it's not there in future phones.
  • Mrstylz. Make sure you open the search bar then go to settings and check all the extra apps you want to be able to utilize in your search. It will make the function much more useful.
  • Completely unrelated but I want a flip case like that for my Galaxy Nexus.
  • preemptive disabling of local search? that's a damn shame. thanks apple.
  • Ayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyeeeee.......fugging scumbags. Anything you undo we will redo!! Thats a promise!!
  • I think I saw those flip cases at Best Buy Mobile. I have a very similar one for my Tab 2 and its made by Samsung and the Tab version was $50. But its very nice.
  • What's funny is that my BB Bold 9930 has had universal search including on-device local search since last year, but Apple hasn't said squat about BB. Clearly Apple is very threatened by Android...
  • Applying for a patent on the method with which one can take in and process the meaning of text by moving one's eyes from left to right. Also a patent on video games presented in such a way as to simulate the viewing of the computer gaming world "from the perspective of your game character" or "first person perspective". Didn't Google have this a long time ago with Google Desktop? It's just GD applied to their mobile OS.
  • How broken can the patent office be to give a vague unified search patent to Apple? Isn't this what Android (produced by the biggest search provider) does? I remember showing off how nice the search function worked on my Droid 1 compared to someone's iPhone. Agreed, isn't this just an extension of Google Desktop to the mobile space?
  • I don't understand how a unified local search is something patented by Apple, when WebOS has had this feature for YEARS. Has anyone even used a Palm product? Ever heard of Just Type?
  • Not that I agree with the patent but it does say it was applied for back in 2004 I believe ... but Palm/WebOS came out in June 2009 ... so it might be a question of them getting their app in first.
  • Apple had this in 1984 I think, so it's up in 2014. 20 year patents on technology (edit, ie software) is asinine.
  • I'd say the same thing to HTC and Verizon with the last software update for the Thunderbolt back in April which took away some hyperlink functionality (due to Apple's war with HTC). Verizon's Thunderbolt update page listed a bunch of fixes, but never said anything about removing functionality. It wasn't until later that we figured it out. It's what caused me to flash back to the previous software version and then root my phone to block OTA's! I loathe Apple for this crap! Grrr....
  • Sorry to get off topic, but what is that weather app on the phone?
  • that's not an app, that's the clock for the newest Touch Wiz on the Galaxy S III.
  • damn you apple and sprint is run by a bucnh of crooks enough said
  • damn you apple and sprint is run by a bunch of crooks enough said
  • The whole patent system is phucked up
  • Next thing Apples gonna patent how we wipe or asses
  • Always front to back.....
  • "Swipe to Clean"
  • That's stock Touchhwiz weather app I believe!
  • Thank you!
  • Such BS. WebOS was doing Universal Search three years ago.
  • Well I won't be updating. Ehh plus I'm rooted
  • Can anyone confirm whether this update affects searches like those via Google voice search when you ask it to navigate to "Contact_X"'s home.
  • I never used this feature anyway.. So Apple can have it. If I need to search I`ll use Google in different way.
  • You will be able to get local search back in a day or 2. About the same amount of time it took the Dev's at XDA to do the same for the OneX and Evo 4G LTE's after HTC had to remove it beacuse of crapple.
  • this ia why i avoid any apple products on principle... i love Open Source! :D