Sprint's Galaxy S III update removes local search abilities

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
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.