Epic Games, the creator of Fortnite, is taking legal action once again, filing a new antitrust lawsuit against Google and Samsung. This comes shortly after Fortnite made its return to Android and iOS via the Epic Games Store. The lawsuit, filed in the Northern District of California, accuses both companies of conspiring to stifle competition from third-party app stores through Samsung’s Auto Blocker feature. Epic argues that this new obstacle is designed to prevent users from downloading apps outside of Google and Samsung’s own app stores.
Auto Blocker: The Core of the Dispute
At the heart of the lawsuit is Samsung’s “Auto Blocker” feature, which comes enabled by default on Samsung devices running One UI 6.1.1 and later. The feature blocks the installation of apps unless they are downloaded from authorized sources, such as Google Play or Samsung’s Galaxy Store. Epic alleges that Auto Blocker is part of a coordinated effort to suppress third-party app stores like the Epic Games Store.
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Samsung’s Auto Blocker requires users to go through a complex process to disable it. Epic claims that this process involves 21 steps, which discourages most users from installing apps from other sources. Although Samsung allows users to disable Auto Blocker in their settings, Epic argues that the lengthy and complicated procedure makes it virtually impossible for the average user to complete.
Impact on Third-Party App Stores
Epic’s lawsuit focuses on the broader implications for competition in the mobile app ecosystem. Epic contends that Samsung’s Auto Blocker undermines the ruling from Epic v. Google, in which a court determined that Google holds monopoly power in Android app distribution. By blocking or hindering access to third-party app stores, Epic claims that Google and Samsung are working together to protect their dominant positions in the market.
Epic argues that the process to bypass Auto Blocker is far more difficult than downloading apps from Google or Samsung’s stores. In many cases, Fortnite and other apps available on the Epic Games Store are flagged as potential security risks, despite being legitimate and well-known. The company also noted that the installation process on non-Samsung Android devices only takes 12 steps, making the Samsung-specific challenges even more problematic.
Samsung and Google Deny Collusion
Both Samsung and Google have denied any wrongdoing. Samsung maintains that Auto Blocker is a feature designed to protect users from malicious apps and unauthorized downloads. The company asserts that users can easily disable Auto Blocker during the initial setup of their devices and that the feature is aligned with Samsung’s principles of security, privacy, and user control.
Google, meanwhile, insists that it did not request Samsung to create the Auto Blocker feature. In a statement, Google’s Android head of security, Dave Kleidermacher, emphasized that Android allows sideloading of apps and that the platform has long warned users about the risks of downloading apps from unverified sources. Both companies argue that Epic’s lawsuit prioritizes its corporate interests over user security.
Legal and Market Implications
This is not the first time Epic Games has taken legal action against Google. The company previously sued Google in 2020 over antitrust issues, a case that resulted in a partial victory for Epic in December 2023. With this new lawsuit, Epic aims to continue its fight for fair competition in the mobile app market. The company’s CEO, Tim Sweeney, has emphasized that Epic is advocating for all developers, not just its own interests, in an effort to prevent monopolistic practices in the industry.
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As the legal battle unfolds, Epic is seeking a jury trial and expects both Google and Samsung to appeal the lawsuit. While it remains to be seen how the court will rule, the case could have far-reaching implications for app store policies and the future of third-party app distribution on mobile devices.