Epic Games is suing Google and Samsung for gatekeeping access to third-party app stores | Infinium-tech

More than a month after Fortnite made its triumphant return to Android (worldwide) and iOS (in Europe) via the Epic Games Store, Epic is filing a new lawsuit against Google and Samsung in the Northern District of California. . The new antitrust lawsuit alleges a coordinated effort between Google and Samsung to undermine third-party app stores like the Epic Games Store through Samsung’s “auto blocker” setting.

This feature was the main reason why Epic removed its entire game library from the Galaxy Store in July. Auto Blocker restricts devices running One UI 6.1.1 and above from sideloading third-party apps or app stores by default.

samsung auto blocker feature

Users can bypass the restriction by turning off Auto Blocker in the Settings menu but this requires several steps. Epic claims that shutting down the feature is a 21-step process, which it believes will discourage most users from attempting to sideload third-party app stores.

21 steps required to install Epic Games Store on Samsung devices

More importantly, Epic claims that the auto blocker undermines the December 2023 court decision in Epic vs. Google. That decision determined that Google has monopoly power in the Android app distribution market and that Google has a history of financially compensating OEMs like Samsung for staying away from competition. With its Play Store.

We can expect both Google and Samsung to appeal Epic’s new filing, meaning this legal process could drag on for the foreseeable future.

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