If you're an Apple user who feels like you've been duped over the Family Sharing feature that allows you to share access to apps and content, then you're not alone. Several have decided to file a lawsuit over Apple's allegedly false claims, and you might just be eligible for a payout.
Apple Decides to Pay Than Drag It Out
The Family Sharing feature is an Apple perk that lets you share the App Store purchases and even iCloud storage plans, but it looks like the tech giant labeled the apps eligible even though they cannot be shared beyond the one who paid.
As a result, several have filed a class action suit back in 2019, accusing Apple of misinterpreting "the ability to use its Family Sharing feature to share subscriptions to apps." Instead of dragging the case out, the company decided to settle instead.
"Apple has concluded that continuing to defend this Action would be burdensome and expensive," as reported by Tech Crunch. Even so, the iPhone maker continues to deny any fault, liability, or wrongdoing pointed out in the lawsuit.
In the filing, it claims that millions have downloaded the vast majority of subscription-based apps and paid for them, only to find out that it does not work the way they expected it to. It was added that Apple was well aware of the situation.
With the lawsuit going on for years, it is only costing Apple legal fees. The company then decided that continuing to defend itself in court would just be burdensome and expensive, eventually deciding that a $25 million settlement would cost them less.
You may even be eligible for a payout. US users who enrolled in a Family sharing group with more than just one person can get a piece of the settlement, as long as they availed of the services between June 21, 2015, and January 30, 2019.
If you're among the subscribers who fall under the affected individuals, you can expect an email from Apple saying that you have a claim. However, you should not celebrate just yet as the $25 will not entirely pay for settlement charges.
A good chunk of $10 million will pay for legal fees, which leaves $15 million. Each class member who claims a payout will get $30. If fewer subscribers file claims, you can get a maximum of $50, which may or may not be enough to cover purchases a user has prior.
Apple was Also Sued for Limiting P2P Payments
Even if Apple can set the class action suit aside after paying the settlement, it still has to face another class action lawsuit that was filed back in late November. Customers claim that the tech giant is blocking peer-to-peer payment options, preventing them from purchasing using cryptocurrency.
A California District Court says that Apple entered an anti-competitive agreement with Venmo and Cash app to block the use of decentralized cryptocurrency technology in payment apps, as per Coin Telegraph, which resulted in users having to pay "rapidly inflating prices."
The filing also states that Apple uses "technological and contractual restraints" as well as "contractual limitations on web browser technology," to gain unfettered control over every app installed and run on Apple devices.
