In a California lawsuit, Epic accuses Samsung and Google of conspiring to deter users from rival app stores via Samsung's Auto Blocker, and plans to tell the EU
again — and now Samsung, too Matthew Broersma / Silicon UK : Epic Sues Google, Samsung Over App Store Barriers Jenny Darmody / Silicon Republic : Epic takes aim at Google again - and Samsung too Charlesarthur / The Overspill : Start Up No.2301: more on Spruce Pine and global chips, Google ❤️ SMRs?, the griefbots are coming, Epic sues Samsung, and more Raghav Sachdeva / Sam Lover : Epic Games to Sue Samsung and Google Over App Sideloading Restrictions Simon Sharwood / The Register : Epic Games starts Battle Royale with Samsung, Google over app store practices Matt Simons / Courthouse News Service : Epic Games accuses Google and Samsung of illegal monopoly practices Derek Strickland / TweakTown : Epic sues Samsung for feature that can auto-block virus-filled apk files from mobile phones Isobel Asher Hamilton / The Daily Upside : Epic Games Keeps Google's Feet to the Fire Brenda Kanana / Cryptopolitan : Epic Games files lawsuit against Google and Samsung over app store restrictions Juli Clover / MacRumors : Epic Games Accuses Samsung and Google of Colluding to Prevent Sideloading on Galaxy Devices Rachel Kaser / VentureBeat : Epic Games sues Google and Samsung for auto-blocking Fortnite download United States District Court for the Northern District of California : Epic Games, Inc. v. Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd. et al Erin Woo / The Information : Epic Games Sues Google, Samsung For Allegedly Blocking App Store Competition Md Sadequzzaman Sarker / GamingonPhone : Epic Games files a lawsuit against Google and Samsung over Auto Blocker Maria Deutscher / SiliconANGLE : Epic Games sues Google, Samsung over ‘Auto Block’ mobile cybersecurity feature Associated Press : Epic Games is suing Google and Samsung for this phone setting Andy Chalk / PC Gamer : Epic sues Google again for making the Epic Games Store such a headache to install, and now it's dragged Samsung into the fight too Chance Miller / 9to5Mac : Epic sues Google and Samsung, again under the guise of fighting for ‘all developers’ Legit.ng : Epic Games sues Google and Samsung over app store Miranda Nazzaro / The Hill : Fortnite maker accuses Samsung, Google of colluding to block app store competitors Pam K Ferdinand / Game Rant : Epic Games Is Suing Google and Samsung Sean Hollister / The Verge : The Epic Games Store has crossed 10 million installs on mobile in its first 1.5 months. Ryan Whitwam / HotHardware : Epic Games Lawsuit Accuses Google And Samsung Of Dirty Pool Jeremy Dickson / Kidscreen : Epic Games alleges that Google and Samsung colluded to block rivals Anthony Duignan-Cabrera / Silicon Valley Business … : Google, Samsung sued by game developer over alleged collusion Thomas Barrabi / New York Post : ‘Fortnite’ maker Epic Games accuses Google, Samsung of collusion over ‘auto blocker’ feature Rob Thubron / TechSpot : Epic Games sues Google and Samsung alleging collusion to block Play Store alternatives Franca Quarneti / Benzinga : Epic Games Files New Antitrust Lawsuit Against Google, Samsung Over App Store Restrictions Omar Gallaga / CNET : Fortnite-Maker Epic Games Sues Samsung and Google Over Third-Party App Stores Ezza Ijaz / Wccftech : Epic Games Has Filed A Legal Complaint Against Samsung And Google, Claiming Their Auto Blocker Feature Is Anti-Competitive Ben Schoon / 9to5Google : Epic Games is suing Samsung (and Google) for making it harder to sideload Android apps Matthew Wilson / KitGuru : Epic Games is suing Google (again) and Samsung Shrilekha Pethe / TipRanks Financial : Epic Games Accuses Google (NASDAQ:GOOGL) and Samsung of Unfair Practices Sarah E. Needleman / Wall Street Journal : Epic Games to Sue Google, Samsung Over Alleged App-Store Scheme Mike Viray / Phandroid : Epic Games Wants Another Shot at Google in the Courtroom CGMagazine : Epic Games Slams New Lawsuit Against Samsung And Google Siladitya Ray / Forbes : Epic Games Alleges Google And Samsung Colluded To Restrict App Store Competitors Shira Ovide / Washington Post : Epic Games says Google found a new way to violate antitrust law Matthew Sholtz / Android Police : Samsung and Google already in hot water over recent sideloading changes José Adorno / BGR : Epic Games sues Samsung and Google for colluding to block competition Malathi Nayak / Bloomberg : Google-Epic App Store Feud Expands in Suit Over Samsung Phone Settings Paresh Dave / Wired : Epic Games Is Suing Samsung Now Zoe Kleinman / BBC : Samsung accused of obstructing Fortnite downloads Mastodon: Matt Birchler / @matt@isfeeling.social : The Verge is reporting that in just over a month on the market, the Epic Games Store for mobile has 10 million users. — https://www.theverge.com/... X: David Kleidermacher / @daveksecure : 🧵Epic's latest lawsuit is a meritless and dangerous move. Google did not request that Samsung create their Auto Blocker feature. (1/5) Tim Sweeney / @timsweeneyepic : We've filed new antitrust and Unfair Competition Law claims against Google and Samsung. A jury found Google's practices illegal and we're concerned that Google is encouraging Android hardware makers and carriers to adopt and continue Google's unlawful practices in advance of the Court issuing an injunction requiring Google to stop these practices. @epicnewsroom : Today we filed a lawsuit against Google and Samsung alleging that they illegally colluded to block competition by turning the Auto Blocker feature *on by default* on Samsung devices. This undermines the progress made to open up Android devices to competition. Mishaal Rahman / @mishaalrahman : And here's Samsung's statement, via The Verge: “Contrary to Epic Game's assertions, Samsung actively fosters market competition, enhances consumer choice, and conducts its operations fairly. The features integrated into our devices are designed in accordance with Samsung's core Mishaal Rahman / @mishaalrahman : You probably heard about Epic's latest lawsuit against Google, which alleges they were involved in the decision to make Samsung's Auto Blocker feature be enabled by default in the latest version of One UI. (Auto Blocker, if you aren't aware, is a feature that, when enabled, [image] @mischiefsyt : Epic Games is now suing smartphone manufacturers for having basic security features which are designed solely to protect the average user from malware. Glad to see Tim Sweeney wasting even more money on frivolous lawsuits! [image] Shiina / @shiinabr : Epic Games has just filed a new lawsuit against Google and Samsung because of their “Auto Blocker” feature on Android 💀 The Auto Blocker is turned on by default, making it harder to download 3rd-party applications, which Epic believes to be illegal! [image] Florian Mueller / @florian4gamers : Epic's lawyers just filed a motion to RELATE their new case against Google and Samsung to the previous one against Google (where Epic won the trial late last year). They want to ensure that Judge James Donato will hear this case, too. They obviously fared well with him. So far. Rin / @theishikawarin : Epic Games' reasoning for suing Google and Samsung is even stupider than I initially thought, holy shit this company SUCKS. This is about a security feature too which is good for the end user 💀 Tim Sweeney doesn't care about competition and never has, the pettiness is insane Florian Mueller / @florian4gamers : There's no question that Auto Blocker impedes 3rd-party app stores. There's also no question that based on the complaint, there's no evidence on the table. The complaint talks only about what amounts to potential indicia of collusion. Tom Warren / @tomwarren : Epic Games is suing Samsung as well as Google again. The lawsuit revolves around Samsung's Auto Blocker feature, which comes turned-on-by-default on new Samsung phones https://www.theverge.com/... Eric Seufert / @eric_seufert : Epic is suing Google and Samsung, alleging the companies colluded to impose friction on installing third-party app stores on Android devices. [image]
Context & Ripple Effects
Epic’s challenge broadens its long-running dispute over Android distribution: it previously alleged that Play Store payment rules were monopolistic in its 2020 case against Google, and later extended its claims over mandated payments to Australia.
The new case puts a device maker alongside Google in the alleged barriers to alternative stores, while Epic says it will bring the issue to EU regulators. Related coverage later records Epic’s settlement with Samsung, making the Samsung claim a distinct branch of the wider Android fight.
First-order effects
- Epic opens a California antitrust case against Samsung and Google over Auto Blocker’s alleged effect on sideloading and rival app stores; Samsung and Google publicly reject the asserted coordination.
- The allegations add a regulatory channel alongside litigation, as Epic plans to present its claims to EU authorities.
Second-order effects
- If the claims receive scrutiny, Samsung may need to defend how Auto Blocker is enabled and explained to Galaxy users, while Google faces renewed examination of whether Android’s distribution controls work together with handset defaults.
- Alternative Android-store operators gain a new legal framing for arguing that security features can function as distribution barriers, not merely user protections.
Third-order effects
- The dispute tests whether mobile-platform competition analysis should extend beyond the app-store operator to handset makers’ default security settings and setup flows.
- It is part of a broader shift toward assessing practical access to alternative app distribution—not only formal permission to sideload—as a measure of platform openness.
The trend: Mobile-app-store disputes are increasingly focused on the device-level defaults and security controls that determine whether nominally permitted alternatives are usable in practice.