Epic Games accuses Google, Samsung of violating antitrust laws
Date
10/1/2024 8:38:01 AM
(MENAFN) Epic Games has filed a lawsuit against Google and Samsung, accusing the tech giants of colluding to stifle third-party competition in app distribution on Samsung devices. The lawsuit, lodged in a federal court in San Francisco, is Epic's second legal action against Google and centers on Samsung's “Auto Blocker” feature, which restricts app installations to authorized sources like the Samsung Galaxy Store or Google Play Store. This feature is enabled by default but can be disabled in the device's settings. According to Samsung, the tool is designed to prevent installations from unauthorized sources and to block “malicious activity.”
In the complaint, Epic argues that the Auto Blocker “is virtually guaranteed to entrench Google’s dominance over Android app distribution.” As the developer behind the popular game “Fortnite,” Epic aims to prevent Google from undermining what it considers a long-overdue opportunity for competition in the Android App Distribution Market. The company stated that allowing such coordinated anti-competitive practices to continue would harm both developers and consumers, while also undermining progress made in legal and regulatory frameworks globally.
Google did not provide an immediate comment on the lawsuit, while Samsung defended its practices, stating that it “actively fosters market competition, enhances consumer choice, and conducts its operations fairly.” Samsung emphasized that the features on its devices are designed with security, privacy, and user control in mind, and that users can disable the Auto Blocker at any time. The company also announced plans to “vigorously contest Epic Games’ baseless claims.”
Epic recently launched its Epic Games Store on iPhones in the European Union and on Android devices globally in August. The company claims that the process to download a third-party app outside of the Google Play Store or Samsung Galaxy Store has become excessively complicated, requiring an “onerous 21-step process.” Epic's website outlines a four-step method to disable the Auto Blocker setting, which it argues is part of the overall complexity introduced by Google and Samsung's installation protocols.
Epic previously won an antitrust lawsuit against Google in December, where a jury found that barriers protecting Google’s Android app store harmed both smartphone users and software developers. Epic contends that the Auto Blocker was deliberately designed in conjunction with Google to preemptively counteract the jury’s verdict in that case. Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney emphasized that “literally no store can compete with the incumbents when disadvantaged in this way,” advocating for a level playing field where all reputable stores and apps can compete freely.
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