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

Over 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 via Samsung’s “Auto Blocker” setting.

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

Samsung Auto Blocker feature

Users can bypass the restriction by toggling Auto Blocker off in the settings menu but that requires several steps. Epic claims that turning off 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 Auto Blocker undermines the Epic v. Google court ruling from December 2023. That ruling determined that Google holds monopoly power in the Android app distribution market and that Google has a history of financially compensating OEMs like Samsung to refrain from competing with its Play Store.

We can expect both Google and Samsung to appeal Epic’s new filing meaning that this legal process will likely stretch out for the foreseeable future.

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