Epic Games Reaches Settlement with Samsung Over Auto Blocker Feature Litigation

Epic Games Settles Antitrust Case Against Samsung

Tim Sweeney, president and majority owner of Epic Games, has confirmed that the company has reached a settlement regarding the antitrust lawsuit it initiated in September 2024 against Samsung. In a recent post on X, he expressed gratitude for Samsung’s willingness to address Epic’s concerns:

We’re dismissing our court case against Samsung following the parties’ discussions. We are grateful that Samsung will address Epic’s concerns.

Background of the Dispute

The legal dispute stemmed from Samsung’s introduction of the Auto Blocker security feature within their One UI 6.0 update. Initially launched in October 2023 as an opt-in feature designed to prevent app installations from outside the Samsung Galaxy Store and Google Play Store, Auto Blocker became a default setting in July 2024.

Epic Games raised significant concerns regarding this change, arguing that the default activation of Auto Blocker complicates the process for users wishing to download applications from sources other than the official stores. They stated:

Auto Blocker defaulting to “on” requires an exceptionally onerous 21 step process to download an app outside of the Google Play Store or the Samsung Galaxy Store, mirroring Google’s “Unknown Sources” process with multiple steps and scare screens. Auto Blocker is the first time that Samsung has imposed additional friction on consumers who try to get apps outside of the Google Play Store or the Samsung Galaxy Store.

Impact of the Legal Precedent

Epic’s legal argument referenced the unanimous jury verdict in their prior case against Google, where it was determined that Google engaged in practices that unreasonably restrained trade within relevant antitrust markets. This included restrictive agreements with original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) that sold mobile devices, preventing fair access to competing app stores.

Epic Games previously celebrated a significant victory in December 2023 when Judge James Donato of the U. S.District Court for the Northern District of California ruled that Google’s control over the Play Store violated antitrust laws. The judge mandated that Google allow alternative app stores on Android and prohibited the company from offering financial incentives to developers for exclusive distribution through the Play Store.

Launch of the Epic Games Store

In the wake of these legal battles, Epic Games successfully launched the Epic Games Store on Android and iOS on August 16, 2024, with the latter currently only available in Europe. This launch marked a significant milestone for Epic, reflecting the outcomes of its persistent legal strategies against both Google and Apple.

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