Samsung is Reportedly Seeking Millions From Triller Over an Unpaid App Deal

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App partnerships are big business in the smartphone industry, often involving millions of dollars and access to hundreds of millions of users. But when those deals fall apart, things can quickly end up in court. That’s exactly what appears to be happening between Samsung and Triller.

According to South Korean outlet The Biz, Samsung is seeking millions of dollars in damages after Triller allegedly failed to fulfill its financial obligations under a pre-installation agreement.

The dispute centers around the Triller app being featured on Samsung devices. Samsung claims it never received the full amount it was owed.

The Samsung-Triller disagreement dates back several years

The partnership reportedly involved Triller’s app being pre-installed or promoted on Samsung smartphones. Both companies looked to capitalize on the short-video boom that emerged during TikTok’s explosive growth.

However, according to the report, Samsung claims Triller failed to pay the agreed fees, resulting in years of unresolved disputes. Samsung is now seeking compensation estimated to be in the millions of dollars.

Triller’s financial struggles have been mounting, and Samsung wants to recover unpaid contract fees

The legal dispute comes at a difficult time for Triller. The platform once positioned itself as one of TikTok’s biggest rivals and even managed to attract major celebrities, musicians, sports events, and influencers. But over the past few years, the company has faced multiple reports surrounding financial troubles and unpaid obligations. The latest dispute with Samsung appears to add another chapter to those ongoing problems.

According to The Biz, Triller stopped paying between April and September 2021, leaving Samsung with roughly $1.81 million in unpaid fees. After the payments stopped, Samsung filed a case with the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) in July 2022. 

Triller reportedly argued that some of the installations may have been generated by bots and raised concerns about suspicious traffic. However, the company never fully completed its defense. Things became even more complicated after Triller’s lawyer withdrew from the case. The company ultimately did not submit a formal response or request a hearing. That resulted in the ICC ruling in Samsung’s favor.

A US federal court later confirmed the ruling

Samsung later moved to enforce the arbitration award in the United States. In May 2024, the US District Court for the Central District of California reportedly confirmed the judgment, giving Samsung another legal victory. By then, the amount had grown significantly. After adding interest, arbitration expenses, and legal fees, Samsung’s claim reportedly climbed to nearly $3 million.

Interestingly, the dispute is still growing in official documents. Triller Group disclosed a roughly $3 million liability labeled “Samsung Arbitration Award” in its 2025 filing with the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). That suggests the matter has continued to weigh on the company even after the arbitration process concluded.

As mentioned earlier, pre-installed apps and promotional agreements are big business in the smartphone industry. Manufacturers often strike deals with streaming services, social media platforms, gaming companies, and productivity apps like Google Workspace or Microsoft Office. This helps their software get featured on millions of devices worldwide. Those agreements can involve huge sums of money, making disputes like this particularly costly when things go wrong.

Written by

David Buliga

David Buliga is a Romanian writer at SammyGuru, where he covers the Samsung and Android ecosystem with a focus on apps, software features, and the trends shaping how we actually use our devices — from Galaxy Watch apps to One UI 9, plus the occasional opinion piece. He joined SammyGuru in 2026 after previously creating entertainment content on YouTube, producing animations and gameplay videos. Currently pursuing a Bachelor's degree in Applied Electronics and Telecommunications, David is passionate about consumer technology and enjoys getting under the hood of smartphones to see what makes them tick. Outside of tech, he loves listening to music, reading books, photography, and exploring the random ideas that often inspire his next story.

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