CUPERTINO, California – Apple has reached a settlement in a class action lawsuit in which it has agreed to pay out $25 million. The lawsuit, first filed in 2019, alleged that the tech giant misrepresented the ability to use its Family Sharing feature to share subscriptions to apps. The settlement comes as a resolution to the dispute over Apple’s Family Sharing feature that allows users and their family members to share access to apps, music, movies, TV shows, and books that they purchase.

According to court documents, Apple has denied any misleading misrepresentations and all allegations of wrongdoing. The company stated that defending the lawsuit further would be burdensome and expensive, and, as part of the settlement, it does not acknowledge any fault, liability, or wrongdoing of any kind. Apple has agreed to pay the $25 million without admitting to any wrongdoing.

The lawsuit alleges that Apple advertised Family Sharing as an option on apps that did not support Family Sharing and was aware that subscription-based apps did not support it. As a result, millions of consumers who downloaded subscription-based apps believing they were available for Family Sharing learned after payment that they were not. U.S. residents enrolled in a Family Sharing group between June 21, 2015, and January 30, 2019, and purchased a subscription to an app from the App Store during that time may be eligible for a payment.

Eligible class members have until March 1, 2024, to file a claim and could receive up to $50 from the settlement, with $10 million going toward attorney fees. A final approval hearing for the settlement is scheduled for April 2, 2024.

The settlement, which resolves a lawsuit over Apple’s Family Sharing feature, highlights the company’s efforts to address legal disputes and provide compensation to affected users. With the agreement, Apple hopes to resolve the allegations without admitting wrongdoing, providing a resolution to a long-standing legal battle.