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Pixel Class Settlement
Pixel Class Settlement Website
If you bought one of the First-Generation Pixel or Pixel XL smartphones in the United States for personal use (not for resale), you may be eligible to get a payment of up to $500 from a class action settlement.
The lawsuit being settled concerns first-generation Pixel and Pixel XL smartphones manufactured before January 4, 2017. Plaintiffs allege that these Pixels have a defect that leads to microphone or speaker failures. The defendant in the case, Google LLC, denies these allegations but has agreed to pay $7.25 million to settle the case.
Who Is Eligible?
You are a class member, and are included in the Settlement, if you are in the United States and bought (not for resale), a new Pixel or Pixel XL smartphone manufactured before January 4, 2017.
You are only eligible if you did not receive a replacement Pixel manufactured after January 3, 2017 or refurbished after June 5, 2017. Also excluded from the Settlement Class are (a) Google and its officers, directors, employees, subsidiaries, and affiliates; (b) all judges assigned to this case and any members of their immediate families; (c) the parties’ counsel in this litigation.
How Much Can We Get?
If you didn’t experience any issues or can’t prove it, you’ll get up to $20. Those who experienced the defect will get up to $350 for one phone or up to $500 if they have multiple phones.
If you experienced the alleged audio problems described above on your first-generation Pixel or Pixel XL, you are eligible to get more money than if you did not experience those problems. After the claims deadline, the Settlement Fund will be paid out as follows. First, money will be set aside to pay up to $20 to each person who did not experience the alleged audio defect or who cannot provide any documentation to show that they experienced it. Second, people who paid an insurance deductible to receive a replacement Pixel will be refunded the amount of the deductible. Third, people who experienced the alleged audio defect on more than one Pixel will be paid $500 each. Fourth, people who experienced the alleged audio defect on one Pixel will be paid $350 each, unless there is not enough money left to make those payments, in which case the rest of the fund will be distributed to them on a pro rata basis. For more information on the Plan of Allocation, see the Case Documents page of this website. For information on how to make a claim, see Question 10 and the File Claim tab of this website.
Important Dates
- January 4, 2017 – phones manufactured until this date potentially have a defect in the microphone or speaker
- February 2018 – class lawsuit was filed
- October 7, 2019 – last day to submit a claim
- December 6, 2019 – court will decide whether to approve the settlement
- March 6, 2020 – payments will be sent out no later than this date
Our Verdict
I’m usually pretty lazy about filing these lawsuits, especially when I’m a bit unsure if I’m eligible. Yet, so often I hear friends mention that ‘I got a check for $xx for some class lawsuit I filed which I don’t even recall filing’, and these are sometimes nice checks. So it’s probably is worth filing if you’re eligible. Even just $20 isn’t bad for a few minutes of time. Obviously, it would fraudulent for someone who isn’t eligible to file a claim.
Hat tip to DDG
