Epic Games Settles Lawsuit with Samsung Over Auto Blocker Restrictions on Third-Party App Installs
Epic Games has officially settled its antitrust lawsuit against Samsung concerning the smartphone manufacturer’s Auto Blocker feature, which the gaming company claimed was overly restrictive and detrimental to competition. The lawsuit, originally filed in September 2024, centered on how Samsung's changes to One UI 6.0 interfered with the installation of apps outside of Google Play and the Galaxy Store.
Tim Sweeney, president and majority stakeholder of Epic Games, confirmed the dismissal of the case on social media, stating:
“We’re dismissing our court case against Samsung following the parties’ discussions. We are grateful that Samsung will address Epic’s concerns.”
The dispute arose after Samsung implemented its Auto Blocker security feature with the One UI 6.0 update in October 2023. Initially opt-in, Auto Blocker became enabled by default in July 2024. According to Epic, this created an onerous 21-step process for users who wanted to install apps from outside official sources like the Play Store or Galaxy Store. The feature mirrors Google's “Unknown Sources” procedure but adds multiple scare screens and security prompts that Epic claimed deterred users from sideloading.
"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,” said Epic Games in a previous legal filing.
Epic asserted that this move directly contradicted the jury’s unanimous verdict in Epic v. Google, where it was determined that:
Google had engaged in agreements with OEMs (original equipment manufacturers) that unreasonably restrained trade.
These agreements prevented alternative app stores and independent distribution methods from competing effectively.
The Epic v. Google case, decided on December 11, 2023, in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, was a major antitrust victory for Epic. It resulted in a court order compelling Google to:
Permit the installation and use of alternative app stores on Android.
Cease monetary incentives aimed at keeping developers exclusive to Google Play.
Building on the momentum from that case, Epic successfully launched the Epic Games Store for Android and iOS on August 16, 2024, although the iOS version is currently restricted to European markets due to Apple’s App Store policies and regional regulations under the EU's Digital Markets Act.
While the terms of the Epic–Samsung settlement remain undisclosed, Epic’s statement implies that Samsung is taking steps to revise the Auto Blocker mechanism or ease restrictions that affect third-party app distribution — a potential win for developers and digital storefront competition.
What do you think about Samsung's Auto Blocker and Epic’s ongoing fight for fair app distribution on mobile platforms? Do you sideload apps on Android or rely solely on official stores?
