Apple has agreed to pay $25 million to settle a class action lawsuit over its Family Sharing feature. The Silicon Valley giant settled to resolve the 2019 Walter Peters v. Apple Inc. suit, which alleged that Apple had misled customers about the ability to use the Family Sharing feature. The lawsuit specifically focused on the misrepresentation of the ability to share subscriptions to non-Apple apps. The complaint alleged that Apple misrepresented the use of its Family Sharing feature, leading customers to purchase subscriptions believing they could share them.
Family Sharing is a feature that allows users to share subscriptions to Apple services, as well as third-party apps, with up to five family members. This includes services such as Apple Music, Apple TV Plus, Apple News Plus, Apple Card, Apple Arcade, and other third-party apps, if the developer allows it. However, the lawsuit claims that Apple falsely advertised the compatibility of Family Sharing with non-Apple apps.
According to the settlement agreement, Apple denies the allegations and has not acknowledged any fault, liability, or wrongdoing. The agreement states that Apple has concluded that continuing to defend the action would be burdensome and expensive, prompting the decision to settle the lawsuit.
The lawsuit highlights the importance of transparent and accurate representations of product features to consumers. As part of the settlement, Apple customers may be eligible for a payout of up to $30. This development will likely raise awareness among Apple users about the extent to which they can share subscriptions through Family Sharing.
In conclusion, this settlement emphasizes the responsibility of companies to provide clear and accurate information about the features and functionalities of their products, particularly in cases where consumers make purchasing decisions based on such representations. The $25 million settlement reflects the significance of ensuring that customers are not misled and that companies deliver on their promises.
