Samsung Faces Lawsuit from Epic Regarding OneUI's 'Blocker' Feature for Automatic Call Diversion
Epic is taking legal action against Samsung and Google, accusing them of conspiring to suppress competition, specifically the Epic Games Store. In their newest lawsuit, Epic claims that Samsung's recent OneUI update, version 6.1.1, based on Android 14, default blocks app sideloading on new devices, thus limiting the competition.
In the lawsuit, Epic contends that Google and Samsung have been collaborating to keep the Play Store prominent and push their own Galaxy Store into the background. The publisher stated, "Google enlisted its long-term partner Samsung to neutralize these competitive threats and reinforce the protective wall around the Play Store from competitors" by limiting the ability to load separate app stores by default in OneUI.
The success of the lawsuit hinges on proving actual collusion between Google and Samsung. Epic brings attention to how the "Auto Blocker" feature was not default on devices prior to the Play Store being deemed a monopoly. The "Auto Blocker" setting on Samsung devices forms a barrier between users and third-party app stores; however, it was optional on older devices, but came pre-enabled on the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 and Z Fold 6 smartphones released this year. It remains to be seen if Samsung will enable Auto Blocker by default on its latest Samsung Galaxy S24 FE devices.
In an interview with The Verge, Epic's CEO, Tim Sweeney, expressed hope that more evidence of Google and Samsung's alleged collusion would come to light during the discovery process.
Epic maintains that this results in an arduous 21-step process for downloading an app outside the Google Play Store or Samsung Galaxy Store. However, part of the process involves overcoming the issue of the Epic Games Store not launching without first disabling Auto Blocker through Settings and Security and Privacy. Nevertheless, Epic argues that these supposed patterns discourage users from utilizing external app stores.
In a statement via email, a Samsung representative announced the company's intention to challenge Epic's lawsuit.
"The features integrated into our devices are designed according to Samsung's core principles of security, privacy, and user control, and we remain committed to safeguarding users' personal data," the spokesperson said. "Users have the freedom to disable Auto Blocker at any time."
Gizmodo reached out to Google for comment but did not receive a response immediately.
Epic Games Store is currently available on Android and iOS, although it's limited to the EU on iOS. However, even before relaunching Fortnite on smartphones, Epic controversially pulled its services from Samsung's devices. At the time, Epic accused Samsung of teaming up with Google "to curb competition in the Android app distribution market." This latest lawsuit mirrors the claims made in 2020.
In early 2023, researchers discovered potential mechanisms in Android 14 that could hinder users from sideloading older app versions. The latest version of OneUI surpassed Google by making it more challenging for users to download separate app stores by default. While users can disable the auto blocker feature through system settings, Epic argues that this limitation aims to deter users from returning to the Play Store. With Samsung having the largest market share for Android phones in the U.S., these restrictions have significant implications.
Epic frequently cites this monopoly in its 39-page lawsuit. The publisher claims that Google was aware of the 15-step installation process for Fortnite on Android, which was intentionally "dismal." This process required several workarounds for the "Unknown Sources" install flow. Epic views the Auto Blocker feature as comparable since it necessitates users to go through several extra steps to install the desired apps, under the guise of security.
In conclusion, Epic started causing a stir in 2020 by creating a method to enable in-app purchases in the Epic Games Store, thereby bypassing Apple's App Store and Google's Play Store policies. Both tech giants eventually banned Epic from their platforms, leading to separate lawsuits against Google and Apple, which ultimately ruled in Apple's favor, forcing the tech giant to open up its ecosystem and allow in-app sales outside the App Store, while a court found Google guilty of having a monopoly on Android app stores.
In the ongoing legal battle, Epic suggests that Google and Samsung are working together to maintain the dominance of the Google Play Store and Samsung Galaxy Store, respectively. The implementation of the 'Auto Blocker' feature in Samsung devices, which prevents users from easily using third-party app stores, is seen as a strategic move to keep competition at bay.
Looking towards the future of technology, if Epic's claims are proven true, it could lead to significant changes in how app stores operate, potentially promoting a more open market for users.
