Epic Sues Samsung Over OneUI’s ‘Auto Blocker’ Setting

Epic is suing Samsung, saying its phones’ UI is built to restrict competition, namely the Epic Games Store. Samsung’s latest OneUI update, 6.1.1, was built connected Android 14 and blocked app sideloading by default connected the latest phones. Now, Epic is suing some Google and Samsung for “blocking each different store from competing connected a level playing field.”

In its lawsuit, Epic argues that Samsung and Google person been successful cahoots to support the Play Store ascendant and enactment its ain Galaxy Store “on the backmost burner.” The steadfast claimed, “Google called connected its longtime collaborator Samsung to defang these competitory threats and renew the moat protecting the Play Store from competition” erstwhile it constricted sideloading abstracted app stores by default successful OneUI. 

The lawsuit volition hinge connected whether determination was truly collusion betwixt Google and Samsung. Epic pointed to however Auto Blocker was not default connected phones earlier Google Play Store was labeled a monopoly. The “Auto Blocker” mounting connected Samsung devices creates a partition betwixt users and third-party app stores. While the diagnostic was optional connected older devices (it’s off by default if you’re updating from a erstwhile mentation of OneUI to 6.1.1), it came pre-enabled connected Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 and Z Fold 6 phones the Korean tech elephantine released earlier this year. We inactive person to spot if Samsung volition alteration Auto Blocker by default connected its latest Samsung Galaxy S24 FE devices.

CEO Tim Sweeney told journalists (via The Verge) that helium hopes much grounds of Google and Samsung’s alleged collusion emerges during the find process.

Epic alleges this results successful an “onerous 21-step” process for downloading an app extracurricular the Google Play Store oregon Samsung Galaxy Store. However, portion of that process described by Epic involves failing to motorboat the Epic Games Store without archetypal going done the comparatively elemental process of disabling Auto Blocker done Settings and Security and Privacy. However, that doesn’t detract from the quality of these expected acheronian patterns, which disincentivize users to load outer app stores. After all, Epic might cognize a happening oregon 2 astir acheronian patterns.

In an email statement, a Samsung spokesperson said the institution plans to combat Epic’s lawsuit.

“The features integrated into our devices are designed successful accordance with Samsung’s halfway principles of security, privacy, and idiosyncratic control, and we stay afloat committed to safeguarding users’ idiosyncratic data,” the spokesperson said. “Users person the prime to disable Auto Blocker astatine immoderate time.”

Gizmodo contacted Google for comment, but we did not instantly perceive back. 

Epic Games Store is technically back connected Android and iOS—though the second is lone disposable successful the EU. However, adjacent erstwhile Epic was gearing up for its expected relaunch of Fortnite connected phones, the steadfast and Sweeney declared they had removed their services from Samsung’s devices. At the time, Epic alleged Samsung worked with Google “to restrain contention successful the marketplace for Android app distribution,” echoing its caller lawsuit. 

Early successful 2023, information sleuths uncovered ways Android 14 could restrict users from sideloading older versions of apps. The latest mentation of OneUI one-upped Google by hindering users from downloading abstracted app stores by default. You tin undo the car blocker diagnostic done strategy settings, but Epic argues that this regulation is meant to frustrate users into returning to the Play Store. Epic pointed retired that Samsung devices are the largest marketplace stock for Android phones successful the U.S.

Epic perpetually references this monopoly successful its 39-page lawsuit. The steadfast said Google knew that the much than 15 steps to instal Fortnite connected Android were purposefully “abysmal.” This was owed to an “Unknown Sources” instal travel requiring respective workarounds. Epic says the Auto Blocker diagnostic is similar Unknown Sources since it requires users to spell done respective other steps conscionable to instal the apps they privation to, nether the guise of security. 

As a recap, Epic started this kerfuffle backmost successful 2020 aft it created a mode to marque in-app purchases successful the Epic Games Store possible, circumventing Apple’s App Store and Google’s Play Store policies. Both tech giants kicked Epic disconnected their platforms, and the steadfast sued Google and Apple individually. The tribunal yet sided with Apple, saying that it wasn’t a monopoly but required the tech elephantine to unfastened up its ecosystem and let in-app income extracurricular the App Store. Compare that to December of past year, erstwhile a assemblage decided Google had a monopoly connected Android app stores.