Epic Games is suing Google and Samsung over phone settings

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Video game maker Epic Games File a lawsuit against Google And Samsung on Monday, accusing technology companies of coordinating to prevent third-party competition in distributing applications on Samsung devices.

The problem lies with Samsung’s “Auto Blocker” feature, which only allows apps to be installed from approved sources, such as the Samsung Galaxy Store or Google Play Store. The feature is turned on by default but can be changed in the phone settings. The tool prevents the installation of apps from unauthorized sources and blocks “malicious activities,” according to Samsung.

In the lawsuit filed in federal court in San Francisco — the second suit filed by Epic against Google — the company said Auto Blocker was “virtually guaranteed to entrench Google’s dominance over Android app distribution.” Epic, the developer of the popular game “Fortnite,” has filed a lawsuit to prevent Google from “rescinding its long-held promise to compete in the Android app distribution market,” according to the complaint.

“Allowing this coordinated illegal, anti-competitive dealing to continue harms developers and consumers and undermines jury verdicts and regulatory and legislative progress around the world,” Epic Games said in a post on its website.

Google did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Samsung said it “actively promotes market competition, enhances consumer choice, and manages its operations fairly.”

“The features built into our devices are designed in accordance with Samsung’s core principles of security, privacy, and user monitoring, and we remain fully committed to protecting users’ personal data. Users have the option to disable Auto Blocker at any time,” Samsung said, adding that it plans to “aggressively contest Epic’s claims.” Game that has no basis.”

Epic launched its Epic Games Store on iPhones in the EU and on Android devices worldwide in August. The company claims that it now requires a “very tedious 21-step process” to download a third-party app outside of the Google Play Store or Samsung Galaxy Store. The support page on Epic’s website shows a four-step process for removing the auto-ban setting. These steps, along with the “installation flow” from Google and Samsung, are part of the 21 steps for downloading the Epic Games Store, Epic said.

The epic won it First antitrust lawsuit against Google In December, after a jury found that Google’s Android app store was protected by anti-competitive barriers that hurt smartphone consumers and software developers.

The game maker says the “Auto Blocker” feature was intentionally designed in coordination with Google to preemptively undermine the jury’s verdict in this case.

“Virtually no store can compete with incumbents when they are disadvantaged in this way,” Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney said on X. “For there to be true competition, all reputable stores and apps must be free to compete on a level playing field.”