Epic Games has filed a lawsuit against Google and Samsung, accusing them of working together to block competition in the app distribution market through Samsung’s Auto Blocker feature. Initially introduced as an optional feature in 2023, Auto Blocker became the default setting on Samsung devices in July 2024, requiring users to go through a cumbersome 21-step process to install apps from third-party sources outside the Google Play Store and Samsung Galaxy Store. Epic Games claims this move strengthens Google’s monopoly in the app market and violates the jury’s unanimous ruling in Epic v. Google, which found Google’s agreements with phone manufacturers to be illegal.
The lawsuit also highlights a history of collusion between Google and Samsung, with allegations that Google paid Samsung to limit competition and favor the Google Play Store over other app stores. According to Epic, these practices hurt both developers and consumers by restricting choices and forcing app distribution through a monopolized system.
Do you think Google and Samsung’s actions are unfair to developers and users?
