If you bought a first-generation Google Pixel phone you may have some money coming your way. A new class action lawsuit against the tech giant argues that it knew there was an issue with the device’s microphone and sold it as a premium smartphone anyway.


After hearing this news, you may be wondering how to get involved in the lawsuit. Here’s what you need to know about the case, and what you should be doing right now if you bought a Pixel from Google.

What’s the Case About?

Google’s Pixel and Pixel XL smartphones suffer from what the company called a “hairline crack in the solder connection on the audio codec.” In some cases, this made it extremely difficult to use the microphone, making phone calls and voice commands impossible.


The company says only 1% of Pixel phones included the defect, but the lawsuit notes that within just a few weeks of the device’s launch people were already reporting issues with the microphone. Instead of offering refunds, Google replaced some defective smartphones with new units that had the exact same issue. Even worse, the company never stopped selling the Pixel and Pixel XL despite mounting evidence that something was wrong.



Can I Join the Lawsuit?

If this all sounds familiar you probably qualify for the class action lawsuit, and even if you didn’t have any issue with your particular smartphone you should still qualify. According to the filing, the case covers “all individuals in the United States who purchased a Google Pixel or Pixel XL smartphone, other than for resale, between October 4, 2016 and the present.”

The only exceptions are people directly connected to Google or the trial. That includes anyone working at Google, a Google subsidiary, or Google-affiliated company. It also rules out any judges assigned to the case, along with their immediate family.

How to Get Involved

For now, there’s not much you need to do. Just by buying a Pixel phone you’re included in the class action lawsuit. Once a trial is approved you’ll probably receive a notice in the mail telling you how to actively join the case. It will also explain how to file a claim once the lawsuit is settled— assuming there’s some money to be had.


In the meantime, if you really want to get involved you can contact the law firm behind the case on their website. And if you’re feeling left out, the same firm is also looking for people who purchase the Pixel 2 or Pixel 2 XL for a separate investigation into the screen burn-in issue that plagued both of those phones when they launched last fall. You can sign up for that case here.