In a move meant to prevent potential legal actions from Apple, Samsung updated U.S. Galaxy S3 versions to remove the universal search feature – an Apple patented tech, found to be infringed by the Galaxy Nexus by a judge in a case involving the two companies in the States.

After Sprint, AT&T and Verizon rolled out that firmware update that dumbed down the search feature on the Galaxy S3, allowing users only to access web-based results in their search results, Samsung rolled out the update to international users including Canadian and UK Galaxy S3 buyers.

But it looks like Samsung made a mistake dumbing down the search of its international versions, or at least some of them. TechRadar reports that at least the UK Galaxy S3 version will get its full universal search back, and Samsung has already confirmed it:

However, a spokesperson for Samsung told us: “The most recent software upgrade for the Galaxy S III in the UK included the inadvertent removal of the universal search function. Samsung will provide the correct software upgrade within the next few days.”

So how does a company like Samsung accidentally roll out such a search-crippling feature? We certainly look forward to see whether universal search will return to other Galaxy S3 models as well or whether it’s only a UK thing.

Samsung, which has recently won a rather uncomplimentary but also refreshing verdict in the UK – the Galaxy Tab 10.1 is “not as cool” to infringe iPad-related patents and design, but Apple has to publicly state the Samsung tablet is not violating is patents – may feel confident enough in the region's courts not to change the Galaxy S3 features in order to avoid any future unfavorable verdicts.