Apple has agreed to pay $25 million to settle a lawsuit over its Family Sharing feature, which allows users to share apps and other content with up to six family members. However, the plaintiffs claimed that Apple misled them into buying subscription-based apps that could not be shared with their family members, and that Apple profited from these fraudulent sales.
The lawsuit, filed by Walter Peters and other users, accused Apple of deceptive and unfair practices, saying that “Apple has made millions of dollars in fraudulent sales to individuals who Apple told were receiving up to six copies of an App when they were receiving only one.” The lawsuit also alleged that Apple failed to disclose that some apps did not support Family Sharing until 2019, and that Apple did not offer refunds or compensation to the affected users.
According to 9to5Mac, the settlement amount of $25 million will be reduced by $10 million, or 40%, to cover the legal fees of the plaintiffs’ attorneys. The remaining $15 million will be distributed among the eligible claimants, who can receive up to $50 each.
To be eligible for a claim, you must meet the following criteria:
- You must be a U.S. resident.
- You must have been enrolled in Apple Family Sharing with at least one other person between June 21, 2015, and January 30, 2019.
- You must have purchased a subscription to a third-party app via the App Store between the aforementioned dates.
If you meet these criteria, you can submit a claim online or by mail by clicking on this link, which will take you to the Walter Peters v. Apple website. You will need to provide your name, email address, and proof of purchase. If you received a letter from Apple with a Payment ID and PIN, you can use those numbers to submit your claim online. If you did not receive such a letter, you can print out the form from the website and mail it to the address provided.