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What just happened? Never one to shy away from a lawsuit against some of the tech world's biggest players, Epic Games is now suing Google (again) and Samsung over an alleged coordinated effort to block Play Store alternatives being installed on Samsung devices.
Epic Games highlights Samsung Galaxy's Auto Blocker feature as the "the latest in a long series of dealings in which Google and Samsung have agreed not to compete to protect Google's monopoly power."
Auto Blocker and similar features can prevent users from sideloading apps from alternative app stores – i.e., not Google's Play Store or Samsung's Galaxy Store – on Samsung's mobile devices.
Auto Blocker was introduced as an opt-in feature in October 2023, but it became the default setting in July, the month before Epic launched its mobile app store. Samsung says the feature protects users from applications from unauthorized sources and malicious activity, but Epic says defualting the feature to "on" increases the installation process for sideloading apps from 15 steps to 21.
"It is not about reasonable measures to protect users against malware," Sweeney told reporters. "It's about obstruction of competition."
Epic says that Auto Blocker attempts to undermine the jury's decision in the 2023 Epic v. Google case that found Google had created an illegal monopoly by giving its own store prominence and limiting access for third-party alternatives. Epic says the trial included exhaustive and detailed evidence of Google's schemes to pay Samsung to not compete with the Google Play Store and to block other app stores from trying to compete.
Excerpt from an exhibit introduced in the US Epic v. Google trial
"Allowing this coordinated illegal anti-competitive dealing to proceed hurts developers and consumers and undermines both the jury's verdict and regulatory and legislative progress around the world," Epic said.
Epic has battled both Google and Apple in the courts over their respective app store practices, especially the commissions these companies take. In the case against Apple, Cupertino retained its control over the App Store and its payment system but was forced to relax its anti-steering provisions, allowing developers to guide users to external payment methods. The penalties against Google for breaking antitrust laws are expected to be announced soon.
Epic's App Store arrived on Android devices globally in August, allowing users to once again play the mobile version of Fortnite. But only those in the EU can install the Epic Store on iOS devices, thanks to the regulatory framework provided by the Digital Markets Act that is only enforceable in the European Union.
Epic says it has reached over 10 million installations of its mobile app store, meaning it's unlikely to reach its goal of 100 million installs by the end of the year, something Sweeney is blaming on Auto Blocker and other similar features.
Epic is asking the court to prohibit Samsung's and Google's anti-competitive and unfair conduct and mandate that Samsung eliminate the Auto Blocker by default and enable competition.