The news: Fortnite-maker Epic Games settled its antitrust lawsuit against Samsung, ending claims that Samsung and Google blocked rival app stores, per Bloomberg.
Epic had accused Samsung’s “Auto Blocker” of preventing third-party app store downloads, alleging collusion with Google. Samsung and Google previously denied wrongdoing, calling Epic’s claims “baseless” and “meritless.”
Samsung concedes: Epic CEO Tim Sweeney told CNET that the company dismissed its court case after private discussions between the two parties. “We are grateful that Samsung will address Epic’s concerns.”
While the details are scarce, Samsung is likely acquiescing to Epic adding its own app store and payments platform on Galaxy devices.
Breaking down walls: The settlement opens the door for rival app stores on Samsung’s Galaxy Store, which has 400 million monthly active users and hosts 150,000 apps, per Business of Apps.
Other Epic victories:
- In May, Epic cracked open Apple’s App Store, loosening Big Tech’s tight grip on mobile app stores and clearing a path for the Samsung case.
- In 2023, a jury unanimously ruled against Google in the Epic vs. Google case. It found the tech giant guilty of establishing an illegal monopoly within the Google Play Store and Google Play billing service.
Unlocking opportunities in open app ecosystems: As Epic positions its own store with direct payments and curated games, marketers will find fresh channels beyond Google Play and Apple’s App Store, with fewer platform fees and looser restrictions.
While Epic Games Store doesn’t disclose ad revenue separately, its earnings come from a 12% cut of third-party game sales and in-app purchases from first-party titles like Fortnite.
Our take: With Epic’s continued disruption of app store ecosystems, marketers should prepare for a fragmented but freer market—alternative app stores allow more control over promotions, subscriptions, and bundled offerings.
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