Epic Games Takes Google and Samsung to Court Over Auto Blocker's Restrictive App Store Policy

Epic Games has initiated a new lawsuit against Google and Samsung, arguing that the latter's Auto Blocker feature creates a significant obstacle for alternative app stores and contradicts a jury decision from last year. The Auto Blocker, introduced by Samsung in October 2023, allows users to automatically block the installation of apps not distributed through the Google Play Store or Samsung Galaxy Store. Initially an opt-in feature, it was switched on by default in July 2024, effectively preventing users from installing alternative app stores like the Epic Games Store. Epic Games is seeking a court order to prevent Samsung from enabling Auto Blocker by default and to stop Samsung and Google's allegedly anti-competitive behavior. The company is also requesting a jury trial, monetary relief, damages, and legal costs. According to Epic, enabling Auto Blocker forces users to undergo a lengthy 21-step process to download external apps, whereas it already takes 12 steps on Android due to warnings about unknown sources. Epic argues that Samsung's Auto Blocker misrepresents its apps as 'unknown' and 'unsafe,' despite previously listing some of its games on the Galaxy Store. The company claims that Auto Blocker solidifies the Google Play Store's dominance, blocking competing stores from operating on a level playing field. Epic also asserts that the partnership between Samsung and Google undermines the jury's unanimous verdict in its previous antitrust case against Google, which found that Google engaged in anticompetitive behavior by mandating the use of its payment system and offering incentives to developers to stay on the Play Store.