Post #2317

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, blocks sideloading apps from outside the Google Play Store or Samsung Galaxy Store.) Google is now coming out to say that Epic's lawsuit is a "meritless and dangerous move" and that they did not request Samsung create their Auto Blocker feature. Google goes on to state that "Android device makers are free to innovate and design additional safety features for their devices." I find the use of the word "create" in Google's statement to be interesting. Epic didn't allege that Google made Samsung create the Auto Blocker feature but rather made them turn it on by default. However, Epic admitted that they don't yet have any proof that there was any collusion. We'll have to see how things go in court. Edit: 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 principles of security, privacy, and user control, and we remain fully committed to safeguarding users’ personal data. Users have the choice to disable Auto Blocker at any time. We plan to vigorously contest Epic Game’s baseless claims.