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In 2018 developer Dylan McKay noticed that Facebook was doing something unexpected with information from his Android phone — it was recording names, numbers, and duration for every call. Shortly after he made this public via Twitter, multiple Android smartphone users got together and filed suit against the social media giant, alleging a violation of privacy. It's taken almost exactly four years, but now it looks like Facebook is ready to settle the claims.
Google could face class action lawsuit over free G Suite legacy account shutdown
The folks behind the Pixel and Nintendo Switch Joy-Con drift class-action lawsuits are looking into it
Google recently announced that it would kill its free legacy G Suite account program, which allowed those that snuck in before 2012 to get free Google apps services tied to a custom domain rather than Gmail. Plenty of people used this free service for their personal accounts, but when Google announced the shutdown, it left all of those customers (and purchases tied to those accounts) in the lurch: Either they would have to cough up the cash for a paid subscription to keep their stuff tied to a fully working account, as before, or accept using a broken and suspended account on the side while moving to a standard Gmail address. That seemed pretty bogus to us, and the attorneys at Chimicles Schwartz Kriner & Donaldson-Smith agree, as they're opening an investigation into the matter for a potential class-action lawsuit.
So, remember that big $12 you were expecting from the Google+ class action suit? Well, about that...
Hope you saved room for taco — that one, singular taco you can now afford
It might feel like Google+ has been dead for half a decade, but actually, it only shut down back in 2019 in response to several privacy-related issues and bugs. A class-action lawsuit filed by affected users followed shortly after that, and last summer, we finally started to hear about a settlement. While the payout number previously floated sounded small, the new amount makes the old one look like a jackpot.
Check your bank account: another round of Nexus 6P settlements is being distributed
Nearly a year and a half after the initial payments went out
It's a tale as old as time: phone arrives on store shelves to great reviews, phone reveals itself to have serious problems, customers file a class-action lawsuit. The Nexus 6P may have started on a strong note, but it didn't take long to develop issues with premature shutdowns and bootlooping. Huawei and Google paid out settlements to owners early last year, but it seems like another series of payments are making their way into bank accounts.
Google's Stadia game streaming platform is still hanging in there, but it still hasn't lived up to some of its original goals. The available library is limited (compared to other platforms), there won't be any first-party games developed by Google, and Stadia's ambitions for 4K gameplay didn't really pan out. Now the company faces a possible class action lawsuit over 4K gaming claims.
Android developer class action suit targets Play Store and its 30% transaction fee
The suit needs approval from federal court
Epic Games is waging legal war against Apple and Google for what it calls the exorbitant 30% revenue share those companies make on every app and in-app purchase. Indeed, every developer finds themselves paying the piper for the privilege of using what may arguably be the only practical commerce platforms of Android and iOS, but they don't usually have the means to file a suit. Now, though, one law firm is attempting to round up the aggrieved with proposed class-action litigation against Google.
Google could face yet another class action lawsuit, this time over Pixel 3 issues
Owners asked to aid investigation into possible battery drain and camera defects
Law firm Chimicles Schwartz Kriner & Donaldson-Smith LLP (CSK&D) just made it public that it's beginning to investigate for a potential class action lawsuit against Google. With a consistent outcry from Pixel 3 users concerning battery drain issues, poor photo and video quality, and app crashes all around, CSK&D is now looking into whether these defects are hardware-related — which would warrant a lawsuit.
Slickwraps slapped with class action lawsuit after data breach
The suit alleges that Slickwraps "was well aware that it had lax data security measures"
Slickwraps, maker of customizable skins for phones, tablets, computers, and other devices, was breached last month by a security researcher. In the researcher's attempts to notify the company about its security issues, a database of Slickwraps customer information became public, and now Slickwraps is facing a class action lawsuit for security negligence.
The last generation of Google Nexus devices went out with a bang. The Nexus 5X was infamous for its bootloop issue, while the 6P was best known for its random shutdown problems. A class-action lawsuit against Google and Huawei for the 6P's hardware woes was filed in 2017, and last year, it looked like a settlement was on the horizon. At long last, payments are starting to go out to claimants.
Check yo' mail: Settlement checks for the 2016 Pixel microphone lawsuit are landing
You might have a $500 check waiting in the mailbox
If you filed a claim in the lawsuit against Google for the 2016 Pixel's microphone woes, then you might want to check the mail today. Settlement checks have started to arrive in quantities up to $500, depending on your claim.
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Back in 2017, some original Pixels and Pixel XLs started experiencing microphone failures — theorized to be due to a hairline crack in the mic's solder. Google RMA-ed these devices, but the problem persisted in some replacement phones too, and a class action lawsuit was filed the following year. We now have word that Google has agreed to settle this lawsuit for $7,250,000 pending final court approval.
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- You can now file your own claim to join the Nexus 6P settlement — which, it should be noted, still has yet to be approved by the court according to the settlement's site. The deadline to submit a claim form, opt out of the suit, or comment/object to the settlement is September 3rd.
The Nexus 6P was one of those phones with high initial quality that failed the test of time. In the months and years following the launch, many Nexus 6P owners noticed their phones would bootloop or simply shut down without warning. The law firm Chimicles & Tikellis filed a class action lawsuit in 2017, and it looks like a resolution is on the horizon. Nexus 6P owners may be eligible for as much as $400 in restitution from Google and Huawei.
Collecting location data from customers' smartphones with permission is one thing, but selling it on to third parties is something the big four US carriers have faced increasing criticism for over the past year. AT&T, Sprint, Verizon, and T-Mobile have all released statements along the lines of 'we're sorry, your data is important to us,' but legal action is now being taken.
Hot on the heels of the Project Fi news, it appears that Google is being sued for another problem. Last year we reported that many original Pixel and Pixel XLs were having microphone-related issues caused by a physical defect in the device. Now the same group of attorneys that put together the LG bootloop lawsuit is seeking a class action against Google for the OG Pixel's microphone defect.
Sony was one of the first OEMs to focus on designing water-resistant phones, but they weren't always resistant enough. Consumers were brushed off by Sony when their water-resistant phones and tablets showed evidence of water damage. Now, there's a class action lawsuit wrapping up that could result in affected Sony owners getting a 50% refund on their devices.
Niantic's inability to make Pokémon Go work properly is becoming legend. Basically, if something can go wrong, it will go wrong. And there was a lot of wrong at the high-profile Pokémon Go Fest in Chicago last weekend. It was such a mess that a few dozen players have filed a class action lawsuit against Niantic, alleging false advertising.
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- The attorneys involved would like our readers to know that if you have been affected by a bootloop with one of the above LG phones, you can contact them here if you might be interested in joining the suit.
Representatives from Girard Gibbs LLP, the firm previously handling one of the LG bootloop lawsuits, contacted us late yesterday with news about the case. On June 29th the court gave an order granting the defendant's motion to compel arbitration, dismissing the lawsuit. That means that right now the suit has been forced into arbitration.
Did your last phone cost too much? Do you hate, hate the fact that Google Search is included in Google's Android operating system? Does the sight of a pre-loaded Gmail app fill you with scorn? Then call the offices of Hagens Berman, a consumer rights class-action law firm. They want to sue the pants off of Google, Because it's easier to get the money out of someone's wallet that way.
The Transformer Prime (or TF201 if you're nasty) had its share of GPS problems when it first came out. So much so that the company began sending out dongles to fix the issue. Well, that didn't prevent a class action lawsuit from being filed and, as a result, ASUS has settled the case. What does that mean for you? Well, if you purchased a TF201 between December 1, 2011 and February 19, 2013 and you didn't get a refund, then you qualify to receive $17 and a free GPS dongle.