Google is set to pay out $700 million in the US as part of a settlement in a legal case around its app store, with Android users in line for a payout in the process.
So, if you’re an Android user, here is how you can claim back your cash.
The settlement is thanks to an agreement Google reached in September with all 50 states over a lawsuit that alleged the tech giant had been stifling competition with its app store on Android devices.
According to the lawsuit allegations Google made game developers use its proprietary payment systems for app downloads from its store, for which the tech giant charges a commission and so takes a cut on all transactions - which the lawsuit argued was anti-competitive.
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As a result, Google is set to pay around $630 million in restitution.
Customers who are eligible to receive some of the payout includes those who made purchases on Google’s app store - the Play Store - between August 2016 and September 2023.
It is believed that just over 100 million consumers in the US could be eligible, each of who are expected to receive at least $2 from the settlement.
So, how do consumers make a claim?
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The good news is, there are no long processes or forms to fill out in order to stake a claim.
Instead, those who are eligible are set to be automatically notified about the options available to them to receive any money due to them.
In some cases, consumers will receive automatic payments through digital services such as PayPal or Venmo, or may be able to choose to receive a check or an ACH transfer, according to one state’s Attorney General.
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More details about the payout process are set to be confirmed in the near future.
In addition to the payout, Google is also set to make some business changes as part of the settlement.
Google has said it will simplify users’ ability to download apps directly from developers and was expanding the ability of app and game developers to provide customers with an alternative billing option for in-app purchases, next to the Play Store’s billing system.
In a statement to Reuters, Google’s vice president for government affairs and public policy, Wilson White, said the settlement “builds on Android's choice and flexibility, maintains strong security protections, and retains Google's ability to compete with other (operating system) makers, and invest in the Android ecosystem for users and developers”.
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