Google Settles Pixel Class-Action Lawsuit, You May Get $500

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Here’s some good news for owners of the original Pixel phones. Google has agreed to settle the Pixel class-action lawsuit. The lawsuit was brought by owners of the original Google Pixel, who said the company knowingly sold them defective phones.

What was the issue in the Pixel class-action lawsuit?

The Google Pixel class-action lawsuit was brought in February 2018 after several users complained that their handset had a severe microphone defect. The lawsuit alleged that Google never fixed the defective Pixel phones or provided refunds or non-defective replacements; instead, the company continued to sell the defective devices.

“Google has replaced defective phones with other defective phones, resulting in many consumers repeatedly experiencing the microphone defect,” the lawsuit said.

Google admitted to the issue in March 2017, saying a “hairline crack in the solder connection on the audio codec affected around 1 percent of original Pixels… This will affect all three mics and may result in other issues with audio processing.”

Further, the search giant admitted that the issue affected calling and voice assistant features. At the time, Google assured users that it would work to address the issue, but a year later, it was hit by the class-action lawsuit.

The Verge reported that the settlement in the Pixel class-action lawsuit is still awaiting approval. A hearing is scheduled for June 5. However, since both parties have agreed, the court will likely approve it.

How much will you get?

The affected phones were manufactured before Jan. 4, 2017, and Google’s total liability under the settlement is expected to be $7.25 million. The settlement in the Pixel class-action lawsuit divides owners into four categories.

The first includes users experiencing multiple issues due to the audio defect and those who replaced their device but got another faulty device in return. Such users are eligible to receive $500. Next are those who saw the issue in only one device, which means they did not replace it; they will receive up to $350.

Users who never reported any audio defect with their device will receive $20 from Google. Those who already got a third-party insurance payment for the microphone defect will be treated on an individual basis.

Once the court approves the settlement, the law firm handling the case will publish claim forms for Pixel owners. However, those seeking claims will have to submit proof they experienced the defect, such as repair records, RMA confirmations, emails, customer service chat logs or anything else.

Not all U.S. Pixel or Pixel XL users are eligible to claim the settlement. Only those who brought phones manufactured before Jan. 4, 2017 can join the settlement. Such users must join by July 9, 2019, which is 60 days from the notice served on May 10. Users will also have to provide proof of purchase.

If you own an original Pixel phone and are interested in joining the settlement, you should register on the law firm’s website. The link to submit a claim is not live yet because the settlement is awaiting final approval. Nevertheless, you can still register on the website to get the latest updates on the case.

Other lawsuits against Google

Google released the original Pixel in October 2016. Before then, the search giant released phones under the Nexus brand, in which it provided the software while the hardware was made by LG or Huawei.

In April, Google settled a class-action lawsuit related to the Nexus 6P smartphone. Some of the devices sustained a “bootloop” issue, which caused them to constantly restart. A few users also complained about battery drain. The total settlement is expected to be $9.75 million.

For this settlement, affected users were divided into three categories. Those with the same issue on multiple Nexus 6P units could receive up to $400, while those who provided documentation of the bootloop or battery drain issues received $150 to $300. Those with unsupported claims got received $20 to $75. The Nexus 6P was manufactured by Huawei and launched in 2015.

The law firm handling the Pixel lawsuit also sought Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL owners for a class-action suit against the search giant. Owners of Google’s second-generation Pixel phones complained about several issues with their phones, including screen burn-in.

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