Never one to let an opportunity to sue pass it by, Epic Games is in the news again, filing a fresh lawsuit against Google and Samsung. It would appear that Epic is not a fan of Samsung’s Auto Blocker feature that doesn’t allow sideloaded apps by default, having already announced that it will remove all of its products, including Fortnite, from the Galaxy Store.
Well, beyond ditching Samsung’s app store, Epic has today announced it is filing suit against both Samsung and Google, framing Auto Blocker as a “coordinated effort to block competition” while also claiming that this coordination undermines the jury’s verdict that found Google guilty of running an illegal monopoly.
Auto Blocker isn’t all bad
The issue is users are automatically opted in
One thing to remember about Auto Blocker is that it can be turned off, users still retain control over whether they can sideload apps or not. However, the problem appears to be that everyone is auto-opted into the feature. And sure, Google and Samsung are correct; this feature likely improves security for users so that they don’t accidentally sideload a compromised app/game, but it is also clear that Epic likely has a worthwhile case on its hands when this feature stifles competitors like Epic, especially when it recently launched its very own mobile game store this year, that coincidentally needs to be sideloaded, which will assuredly slow adoption of a store that could be a boon for Android.
Epic already won against Google, proving its monopoly
Is this next case another slam dunk?
So it would seem the optics are on Epic’s side, and what with it winning its last case against Google that has defined the Play Store as a monopoly, it does seem strange that Google and Samsung would be so eagerly pursuing a feature that makes it more challenging to sideload Epic’s apps and games, especially when Epic proved so diligently in its previous case that Google has a history of paying it partners, like Samsung, to keep competing stores off its services. Sure, it’s easy to claim Auto Blocker helps security, but when Google lets apps infected with malware onto the Play Store, it grows challenging to believe user security is a primary concern.
Ultimately, Epic Games is pursuing this new lawsuit so that the court can step in and “eliminate the Auto Blocker by default,” which doesn’t sound all that bad from a power-user standpoint. I know I’d rather have the option to opt in, rather than be forced to opt-out.
