LOS ANGELES (AP) 鈥� Video game maker Epic Games and Samsung on Monday, accusing the tech companies of coordinating to block third-party competition in application distribution on Samsung devices.
At issue is Samsung's 鈥淎uto Blocker鈥� feature, which only allows for apps from authorized sources, such as the Samsung Galaxy Store or Google Play Store, to be installed. The feature is turned on by default but can be changed in a phone's settings. The tool prevents the installation of applications from unauthorized sources and blocks 鈥渕alicious activity,鈥� according to Samsung.
In a lawsuit filed in San Francisco federal court 鈥� Epic's second against Google 鈥� the company said Auto Blocker 鈥渋s virtually guaranteed to entrench Google鈥檚 dominance over Android app distribution.鈥� Epic, developer of the popular game 鈥淔ortnite,鈥� filed the suit to prevent Google from 鈥渘egating the long overdue promise of competition in the Android App Distribution Market,鈥� according to the complaint.
鈥淎llowing this coordinated illegal anti-competitive dealing to proceed hurts developers and consumers and undermines both the jury鈥檚 verdict and regulatory and legislative progress around the world,鈥� Epic Games said in a post on its website.
Google did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Samsung said it 鈥渁ctively fosters market competition, enhances consumer choice, and conducts its operations fairly.鈥�
鈥淭he features integrated into our devices are designed in accordance with Samsung鈥檚 core principles of security, privacy, and user control, and we remain fully committed to safeguarding users鈥� personal data. Users have the choice to disable Auto Blocker at any time,鈥� Samsung said, adding that it plans to 鈥渧igorously contest Epic Game鈥檚 baseless claims.鈥�
Epic launched its Epic Games Store on iPhones in the European Union and on Android devices worldwide in August. The company claims that it now takes 鈥渁n exceptionally onerous 21-step process鈥� to download a third-party app outside of the Google Play Store or the Samsung Galaxy Store. But a support page on Epic's website shows a four-step process to remove the Auto Blocker setting.
Epic won its first antitrust lawsuit against Google in December after a jury found that Google鈥檚 Android app store had been protected by anti-competitive barriers that damaged smartphone consumers and software developers.
The game maker says the 鈥淎uto Blocker鈥� feature was intentionally crafted in coordination with Google to preemptively undermine the jury鈥檚 verdict in that case.
鈥淟iterally no store can compete with the incumbents when disadvantaged in this way,鈥� Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney said on X. 鈥淭o have true competition, all reputable stores and apps must be free to compete on a level playing field.鈥�
Sarah Parvini, The Associated Press
