Google $135M Android settlement opens

A court-approved website is now taking payment choices for a $135 million Google settlement tied to Android phones that allegedly sent data back to Google over cellular networks even when users were not actively using the device. The case says those background transfers could happen while a phone was idle, locked, or sitting with apps closed. (federalcellularclassaction.com) (cnet.com) The people covered are broad: anyone in the United States who used an Android device with a cellular data plan at any point from November 12, 2017 through the date of final approval, unless they are part of a separate California case called Csupo v. Google. Google denies wrongdoing, and the court has not ruled that Google broke the law. (classaction.org) (federalcellularclassaction.com) The complaint was not about your photos, messages, or search history in the usual sense. It was about your paid mobile data allowance, like a taxi meter running while the car is parked, because the lawsuit says Android was sending information to Google in the background without clear permission. (classaction.org) (androidheadlines.com) That distinction matters because cellular data is not free in the way home Wi‑Fi often feels free. The plaintiffs argued Google chose cellular transfers in situations where a phone could have waited for Wi‑Fi, shifting a small cost onto millions of users at once. (androidheadlines.com) (cnet.com) The settlement was reached in January 2026 in Taylor v. Google LLC in federal court in Northern California, and news coverage at the time said it could affect about 100 million Android users in the United States. The site that just went live is the practical part: it lets eligible people pick how they want to be paid. (cnet.com 1) (cnet.com 2) This is not a typical “fill out a long claim form and upload receipts” settlement. Multiple reports say many class members will receive payment automatically, but they should still submit a payment election form if they want money sent by PayPal, Venmo, Zelle, automated clearing house bank transfer, or a virtual Mastercard. (androidauthority.com) (theclassactionlawsuit.com) The deadline getting repeated across reports is May 29, 2026 for choosing a payment method or updating details. If someone does nothing, the settlement administrator may still send payment if it can match them, but the safest move is to use the official site and make the election directly. (pcmag.com) (theclassactionlawsuit.com) Nobody should expect a $135 check. News reports describing a class of roughly 100 million people make clear that individual payments will be prorated, which usually means the pool gets divided after legal fees, service awards, and administration costs, so many people will likely get a modest amount. (cnet.com) (nbcchicago.com) The non-cash part may matter more over time. Settlement summaries say Google agreed to update Google Play terms, Android setup screens, and help pages to better disclose the background transfers at issue and to disable a related setting, which is the kind of quiet product change that can outlast a one-time payout. (theclassactionlawsuit.com) (federalcellularclassaction.com) That is why this case reaches beyond one check in one inbox. Modern phones constantly send tiny bursts of data for syncing, ads, diagnostics, and attribution, and this settlement turns one of those invisible background habits into something users can actually see, challenge, and now get paid over. (cnet.com) (timesofindia.indiatimes.com)