If You Have a Pixel You Can Get up to $ 500 From Google
Google agreed to pay $ 7.25 million to settle a class action lawsuit filed against the company by Pixel smartphone owners. The lawsuit alleges that Google knowingly sold Pixel phones with faulty solder joints that were causing widespread microphone malfunctions. Google has settled the case, and the company could owe Pixel owners up to $ 500 per device. And even if you’re not eligible for the full $ 500 payout, chances are Google owes you at least some money.
The lawsuit concerns any original Pixel or Pixel XL phones – defective or otherwise – purchased in the United States at any time prior to January 4, 2017. Resale / used purchases are not covered. If you clear these claims, here are the various payment options agreed upon in the settlement:
- All original Pixel owners may be eligible for at least $ 20, regardless of whether your phone had a defective microphone.
- If you purchased a Pixel with a broken microphone and received a second defective Pixel from Google, you are eligible for a full $ 500 payment.
- Those with only one faulty Pixel are eligible for up to $ 350 for the phone alone.
- If you paid for the insurance deductible on your phone, you may also be able to receive full deductible compensation.
If you think you owe you money
The settlement agreement has not yet been approved in court, which means that the conditions may change. In the meantime, you can sign up for settlement updates so you remember to file a claim when it’s time to collect your class action funds. (If this link doesn’t work because the Chimicles Schwartz Kriner & Donaldson-Smith LLP website was a mess, try this one – and come back and try the original link later, just in case.)
The potential payoff to Google doesn’t end there either: The company has also agreed to pay an additional $ 9.65 million to settle a similar lawsuit this year over critical battery issues with the Nexus 6P. Investigations are also underway for similar microphone malfunctions on Pixel 2 phones, as well as burn-in of the original Pixel and Pixel XL, but it will take some time before these lead to any potential settlements.