Epic has renewed its combat in opposition to cellular platforms’ app retailer restrictions, submitting an replace to its antitrust case in opposition to Google. The submitting provides largely redacted particulars about Google’s alleged monopolistic habits on Android, together with banning Epic’s sport Fortnite from the Google Play Store final 12 months. The amended criticism comes quickly after a choose formally linked the case with a latest multi-state lawsuit, which took purpose at Google’s Play Store insurance policies.

Epic’s complaint builds on info gleaned from authorities antitrust probes and paperwork produced because the unique go well with. One addition, as an illustration, consists of particulars revealed final 12 months about “the close relationship that Google maintains with Apple,” together with an settlement to pay between $8 and $12 billion to be Apple’s default search supplier. It additionally consists of new details about Google’s supposed anti-competitive conduct, together with its offers with telephone makers and alternate app shops. Most of this info, nonetheless, has been sealed — leaving solely hints in regards to the claims that the case may hinge on.

Among the brand new redacted info, Epic apparently describes its plans to launch Epic on the Samsung Galaxy Store. “Google was determined not to let this happen,” the criticism says, so it supplied Epic a “special deal” to launch on Google Play. When Epic rejected the deal, Google allegedly took different anti-competitive motion, however the particulars of that motion aren’t out there.

Google’s relationship with Samsung got here beneath the microscope earlier this month when 36 states and the District of Columbia sued Google for breaking antitrust regulation. The Epic criticism cites some allegations that have been raised in that criticism, like a deal to show the Samsung Galaxy Store into successfully a rebranded Play Store — one thing the brand new submitting reveals was referred to as “Project Agave.” Epic’s submitting means that if the lawsuit proceeds, it should hinge partly on how Google responded to the prospect of an Epic-Samsung deal.

Outside these and different redacted claims, the criticism makes the identical primary argument as Epic’s original lawsuit in August. It says Google’s “open” Android ecosystem continues to be functionally monopolistic, stopping different app shops or sideloaded apps from competing on a stage taking part in subject with Google’s official Play Store platform. It’s searching for the flexibility to position Fortnite within the Google Play Store with an impartial cost processing system and an finish to different allegedly noncompetitive actions — which, in its criticism, embody the comparatively lengthy and onerous course of for launching a sideloaded app.

Epic and Google have been initially supposed to seem in a listening to about the way forward for the case at present. But the events agreed to push again the timeline whereas Epic filed an amended criticism. Judge James Donato also agreed to consolidate early components of the case with the state Play Store lawsuit. A proposed schedule from earlier this month offers Google till August twentieth to file a movement to dismiss, then units a listening to on the case for October 14th. Google has beforehand disputed the authorized complaints in opposition to the Play Store, saying Google’s platform “provides more openness and choice than others.”

Epic v. Google has moved extra slowly than Epic’s lawsuit in opposition to Apple, which went to trial in May and awaits a verdict. Epic v. Apple revolved round barely completely different questions since, not like Apple, Google does permit third-party apps or shops. So not like on iOS, Fortnite isn’t locked out of Android whereas the case proceeds; you possibly can nonetheless obtain it straight from Epic’s web site. But each fits declare the platforms’ guidelines for builders are unfair and anti-competitive — and in Epic v. Google, Epic has discovered frequent trigger with authorities antitrust watchdogs as properly.