Apple has agreed to pay out $25 million to settle a class action lawsuit over its Household Sharing function, which lets customers and as much as 5 of their relations share entry to apps, music, films, TV reveals, and books that they buy. The lawsuit, which was first filed in 2019, alleged that “Apple misrepresented the ability to use its Family Sharing feature to share subscriptions to apps.”
The information was first reported by MacRumors.
The lawsuit says that Apple denies that it made any deceptive misrepresentations and “denies all allegations of wrongdoing.” The settlement settlement notes that “Apple has concluded that continuing to defend this Action would be burdensome and expensive. Apple enters into this Agreement without in any way acknowledging any fault, liability, or wrongdoing of any kind.”
The tech large didn’t reply to TechCrunch’s request for remark.
Court docket paperwork from the lawsuit allege that Apple marketed Household Sharing on as an possibility on apps that didn’t help Household Sharing.
“The vast majority of subscription-based Apps, which is a growing percentage of Apple Apps, cannot be shared with designated family members,” the court docket doc reads. “They are available only to the individual user who downloads the App and sets up a subscription. All or virtually all of these Apps, however, included the statement that they support Family Sharing on their landing pages through January 30, 2019.”
The lawsuit alleges that Apple was conscious that the subscription-based apps didn’t help Household Sharing, however nonetheless positioned an advert for Household Sharing on them. The court docket doc goes on to notice that “millions of consumers have downloaded subscription-based Apps believing that they are available for Family Sharing, only to learn after payment has been made that they are not so available.”
U.S. residents who had been enrolled in a Household Sharing group with a minimum of one different particular person between June 21, 2015 and January 30, 2019 and bought a subscription to an app from the App Retailer throughout that point may be eligible for a payment. Eligible class members might be receiving an e mail this week.
Every class member that recordsdata a declare is eligible to obtain $30, however this may increasingly range relying on how many individuals file claims. Nevertheless, the fee is not going to exceed $50 for every class member, and $10 million from the settlement will go towards lawyer charges.
Eligible class members have till March 1, 2024 to file a declare. A ultimate approval listening to is scheduled for April 2, 2024.
