California, August 2025 — Google has filed a motion urging the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California to dismiss the remaining claims brought by Epic Games in the ongoing lawsuit. The case, which originally accused Google and Samsung of colluding to block app store competition, now centers on allegations related to a longstanding Android security feature.
After Epic Games reached a settlement with Samsung last month and dropped its collusion claims, Google moved to dismiss the remaining trade libel and tortious interference claims, asserting that these issues were already addressed in prior antitrust proceedings.
Google’s motion argues that Epic Games is attempting to relitigate claims concerning Android’s “Unknown Sources” security warning feature, which the court previously declined to enjoin. The company emphasized that Epic had ample opportunity to litigate these claims in the antitrust case but now seeks new remedies under a different legal theory, which Google contends should be barred under claim preclusion principles.
Epic had alleged that Google and Samsung worked together to impose restrictions via Samsung’s “auto blocker” feature on its devices to inhibit competition ahead of an injunction requiring Google to open the Android ecosystem to rival app stores. However, following Samsung’s settlement and Epic’s dismissal of those claims, Google maintains the remaining accusations lack merit.
The underlying antitrust case found that Google unlawfully maintained monopoly power in the Android app distribution and in-app billing markets through anti-competitive conduct, including tying the Play Store to Google’s own billing system. Judge James Donato issued an injunction mandating Google to allow third-party app stores on Android devices and prohibiting exclusionary developer agreements. Although Google appealed, the Ninth Circuit recently affirmed the verdict while issuing an administrative stay on the injunction.
Epic Games is concurrently involved in separate litigation concerning Apple’s App Store policies, further underscoring ongoing disputes over app marketplace competition and developer rights.
Representatives for Google and Epic Games have not issued public comments on the latest motion.
Case: Epic Games Inc. v. Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd. et al., Case No. 3:24-cv-06843, U.S. District Court, Northern District of California.
