Epic is suing Samsung and Google for One UI’s Auto Blocker shenanigans

Samsung’s latest update is One UI 6.1.1 based on Android 14. It is available on its latest foldables, such as the Galaxy Z Fold 6 and the Galaxy Z Flip 6, and has also been rolled out to its other recent flagships. One of the controversial changes in this update is that Samsung is using Auto Blocker to block app sideloading by default on phones that launch with One UI 6.1.1. Today, Epic is suing Samsung for this change, and it is dragging Google along with it.

Epic has filed a court case against Google and Samsung over “coordinated efforts to block competition in app distribution on Samsung devices,” namely through the Auto Blocker feature on One UI 6.1.1. Epic alleges that the Auto Blocker feature was “intentionally crafted” in coordination with Google to pre-emptively undermine the ruling in Epic’s court cases against Google for app sideloading.

Auto Blocker was introduced as an optional feature in One UI 6.0 for Samsung Galaxy devices back in October 2023. Amongst other things, Auto Blocker blocks the installation of apps from “unauthorized” app stores, which means any store other than the Google Play Store or the Samsung Galaxy Store cannot install new apps or update existing ones.

With the release of One UI 6.1.1 in July 2024, Auto Blocker comes enabled by default on phones that ship with it, namely the Fold 6 and Flip 6 foldables. The Auto Blocker setting is backed up by Smart Switch, users upgrading from older One UI versions retain their setting.

Epic alleges that Samsung requires an onerous 21-step process to download an app from sources other than the Google Play Store or the Samsung Galaxy Store. This process is said to mirror Google’s “Unknown Sources” process, which has multiple steps and scare screens.

This is a developing story. Please check back again for updates.