The Sprint flavor of the Samsung Galaxy S III was the recent recipient of a small update, and while the new software packs in a security patch, it also removes a feature from the handset. Sprint has confirmed to Phone Scoop that the Galaxy S III's new update disables the handset's universal search ability, which allows it to scour not only the Internet for results, but all of the items on a user's phone as well. The carrier added that Samsung, not Sprint, was the one that opted to remove the universal search functionality.

While Sprint didn't explain exactly why this feature has been removed from its Galaxy S III, it's worth noting that universal search functionality is a part of the Galaxy Nexus legal dispute between Apple and Samsung. It's not yet clear if or when other carriers will also issue updates to remove the feature from their Galaxy S IIIs. For owners of the Sprint model, the loss of the feature, while not experience-breaking, is still a bit of a bummer. How many of you are Sprint customers with universal search-less Galaxy S IIIs?

UPDATE: Looks like the AT&T Galaxy S III is getting a similar update. Users over on xda-developers are reporting that a 10MB update has begun hitting AT&T's Galaxy S III that brings with it a new radio and disables the universal search functionality.

Via Phone Scoop, Android Central (1), (2), Sprint, xda-developers