Epic Games has filed a lawsuit against Google and Samsung, accusing them of colluding to stifle competition in app distribution on Samsung devices. The lawsuit claims Samsung’s auto-blocker feature, introduced in October and made default in July, prevents users from downloading apps outside Google Play Store and Samsung Galaxy Store. Epic have previously sued Google for stifling competition and won an antitrust lawsuit against them.
Epic’s lawsuit stems from broader grievances about how app stores, particularly Google’s Play Store and Samsung’s Galaxy Store, exert control over the distribution of apps and charge hefty commission fees on in-app purchases. Epic claims that Google and Samsung maintain an anti-competitive environment by making it difficult for app developers to distribute apps through other means and by enforcing restrictive payment processing rules.
According to Epic, these platforms abuse their dominance in the market by requiring developers to use their payment systems and taking up to a 30% commission on all transactions, which Epic considers excessive. Epic has claimed that downloading apps from third-party stores involves a complex 20-step process due to the auto-blocker, thus severely limiting competition.
Epic Games has asked for the auto-blocker feature to be removed as the default option, aiming to restore fair competition in the app distribution market. Google has called the lawsuit meritless, stating Android device makers decide their own security measures, while Samsung also plans to contest the claims.
