American video game publisher Epic Games has taken smartphone makers Samsung and Google to court, accusing them of blocking downloads of its app.
In the latest version of its operating system, Samsung activates the Auto Blocker feature , which by default prevents the installation of an application downloaded outside the stores of the South Korean group (Samsung Galaxy Store) and Google (Google Play Store).
This decision constitutes, according to Epic Games, a departure from the spirit of the court decision rendered in December 2023 by a Californian jury, which had found that Google held a monopoly on the market for the distribution of applications on Android, its mobile operating system.
The jury thus ruled in favor of Epic Games, which initiated the proceedings.
The video game publisher has therefore decided to once again take the matter to the American civil courts to obtain a ban on what it considers to be an anti-competitive practice, it indicated in a press release published on Monday.
Samsung plans to vigorously contest Epic Games’ baseless claims, according to a statement.
The features built into our devices are designed in line with Samsung’s core principles of security, privacy and user control, and we remain fully committed to protecting users’ personal data, a spokesperson added.
A Google spokesperson said the lawsuit was without merit, saying Android device makers such as Samsung are free to take their own measures to keep their users safe.
This is a major global fight to defend the right of consumers to benefit from all the advantages of competition and to freely choose the companies with which they interact.
Epic Games wants to prevent smartphone manufacturers from forcing app developers to use their download platforms and payment systems, which allows them to collect large commissions in the process.
The creator of the hit game Fortnite obtained in 2021 from a US federal judge that she force Apple to authorize a different payment system within its App Store.
The magistrate had however also considered that Epic Games had not provided enough evidence to demonstrate that Apple had contravened competition law.
According to the lawsuit filed in a California federal court against Samsung and Google, the video game publisher is seeking damages to compensate for lost revenue related to the blocking of its app, without giving an amount.
These illegal anti-competitive practices are harmful to developers and users, said Epic Games, which launched its own app store to bypass dominant platforms.
In addition to the favorable judgment of December 2023, several laws have been adopted around the world in recent years to limit the stranglehold of technology giants on the smartphone ecosystem.
In 2021, South Korea passed a law requiring Apple and Google to open their operating systems to other payment methods.
In Europe, the Digital Markets Act ( DMA), which came into force in March, is forcing the world’s six largest technology players to open their platforms to competition.
