Google Pixel Class Action Lawsuit: What You Need to Know
If you bought a first-generation Google Pixel phone, you might have some money. A new class action lawsuit against the tech giant claims it was aware of the device’s microphone issue and sold it as a premium smartphone anyway.
After hearing this news, you may be wondering how to participate in the lawsuit. Here’s what you need to know about this case and what you should be doing right now if you bought the Pixel from Google.
What’s the matter?
The Google Pixel and Pixel XL smartphones suffer from what the company called “a thin crack in the solder joint on the audio codec.” In some cases, this made it difficult to use the microphone, making phone calls and voice commands impossible.
The company says only 1% of Pixel phones are defective, but the lawsuit notes that just weeks after the device launched, people were already reporting microphone issues. Instead of offering refunds, Google replaced some of the faulty smartphones with new devices with the same problem. Worse, the company has never stopped selling the Pixel and Pixel XL despite growing evidence that something is wrong.
Can I participate in a lawsuit?
If this all sounds familiar, you probably have the right to file a class action lawsuit, and even if you didn’t have a problem with your particular smartphone, you should still be eligible for it. According to the documentation, the case applies to “all persons in the United States who acquired a Google Pixel or Pixel XL smartphone, other than for resale, between October 4, 2016 and present.”
The only exception is people directly associated with Google or the trial. This includes everyone who works for Google, a Google subsidiary, or an affiliate of Google. It also excludes any judges appointed to hear the case, as well as their immediate family members.
How to participate
There isn’t much for you to do at this point. Just buying a Pixel phone is a class action lawsuit. After the litigation is approved, you will likely receive a notification in the mail on how to actively join the case. It will also explain how to file a claim after the claim is settled – assuming you have the money.
In the meantime, if you really want to get involved, you can contact the law firm that is handling the case on their website . And if you’re feeling left out, the same firm is also looking for people who buy the Pixel 2 or Pixel 2 XL to separately investigate the screen burn-in that plagued both of these phones when they launched last fall. You can sign up for this deal here .