Apple to Pay $25 Million in Settlement over Family Sharing Lawsuit

Apple has agreed to settle a class action lawsuit filed against the company by paying out $25 million to the affected class. The lawsuit, titled “Walter Peters v. Apple Inc.,” accused Apple of misleading customers about the ability to share subscriptions to certain apps with other members of Family Sharing groups. Although Apple denied any wrongdoing, the tech giant decided to settle in order to avoid the cost and hassle of further litigation.

The settlement is open to a wide class of Apple customers who purchased a subscription to an app through the Apple App Store between June 21, 2015, and January 30, 2019, while being enrolled in a Family Sharing group with at least one other member. Individual consumers are unlikely to receive more than $50 from the settlement.

A dedicated website has been set up to provide detailed information about the legal rights and options available to class members, as well as a payment election form. This ensures that affected customers are aware of their rights and can easily claim their portion of the settlement.

While Apple has agreed to compensate the affected class, it should be noted that the lawyers and administrators involved in the case are also expected to financially benefit from the settlement.

Background of the Lawsuit

The lawsuit was originally filed in 2019 in the Superior Court of California, County of Los Angeles. After months of negotiations and legal proceedings, Apple and the plaintiffs have come to an agreement.

To disburse the settlement funds to the class members, Apple will use an account created specifically for this purpose.

Conclusion

In conclusion, Apple has agreed to settle a class action lawsuit by paying $25 million in response to allegations of misleading customers regarding the sharing of subscriptions within the Family Sharing feature. The settlement provides affected customers with an opportunity to claim their portion of the funds, although individual payouts are not expected to exceed $50. This settlement marks a resolution to a legal dispute that has been ongoing since 2019.