New Delhi: Apple has agreed to pay $25 million to settle a class action lawsuit related to its Family Sharing feature, allowing users and their family members to share purchased apps, music, movies, TV shows, and books. The lawsuit, initiated in 2019, claimed that Apple misrepresented the functionality of Family Sharing for sharing app subscriptions.
While Apple denies any wrongdoing, it has opted for the settlement, stating that further defence would be burdensome and expensive. The agreement does not admit fault, liability, or wrongdoing on Apple’s part.
According to court documents, the lawsuit alleges that Apple promoted Family Sharing on apps that did not actually support the feature, especially subscription-based apps. Despite being aware that these apps did not facilitate Family Sharing, Apple reportedly advertised the feature on their landing pages, leading consumers to believe they could share subscriptions.
The court document further asserts that millions of users downloaded subscription-based apps under the impression that they were eligible for Family Sharing, only to discover after payment that this was not the case.
U.S. residents enrolled in a Family Sharing group with at least one other member between June 21, 2015, and January 30, 2019, who purchased an app subscription from the App Store during that period may be eligible for compensation. Eligible individuals will receive an email, and each claimant is entitled to $30, with the total amount subject to variation based on the number of claims. However, the maximum payment per class member is capped at $50, and $10 million from the settlement will cover attorney fees.
Claims from eligible class members must be filed by March 1, 2024, with a final approval hearing scheduled for April 2, 2024.
