You can get a payout from Google's $700 million lawsuit if you own an Android device

 

After losing a huge lawsuit, Google pays $700 million.

You can get a payout from Google's $700 million lawsuit if you own an Android device.

Millions of people are eligible to receive a payment from Google.

After losing a huge lawsuit, Google was forced to pay millions of dollars.

Four years ago, the tech giant was hit with a lawsuit by the US Department of Justice, and several US states that accused Google of abusing its power regarding consumer access to apps on mobile devices running its Android operating system.

Then, in 2021, Epic Games and other developers launched a lawsuit against Google

According to Forbes, Google's trouble may largely be due to its requirement that game developers use its own payment system for apps downloaded from the Play Store, where Google charges a 15 to 30 percent discount on all transactions.

The first lawsuit against the company was settled in September 2023, but details were kept secret then.

However, in December 2023, when a jury found that Google had violated US antitrust laws, Google continued to share more about the settlement and announce other changes it would make.

The original discount the company received from 15 to 30 percent has been reduced to 11 to 26 percent, and Google has pledged to offer different pricing options in the Play Store so that consumers can choose to pay for the product directly from the developer rather than through it—Google Play billing system.

Developers can now display different product prices within the app without getting permission from Google.

Additionally, Google is paying a whopping $630 million "to be distributed to consumers under a court-approved plan," plus an additional $70 million to a fund for use by states.

As for how much you can get, eligible consumers who purchased the Play Store between August 16, 2016, and September 30, 2023, will receive at least $2, according to the court settlement.

As for how you get your money, there's (thankfully) little you need to do.

Eligible customers will be automatically notified of options to receive their share of the funds.

The 2023 settlement was another huge blow to Google, which forced it to pay $400 million to Android and iPhone users last year following a privacy breach.