Image Courtesy: Wired
Apple has agreed to settle a $250 million class-action lawsuit tied to delayed Siri AI features, and some iPhone users in the United States could receive payments of up to $95 if the agreement is approved by a federal judge.
The lawsuit focused on Apple’s marketing around its Apple Intelligence platform during the launch of the iPhone 16 lineup in 2024. Plaintiffs argued that Apple heavily promoted advanced Siri capabilities that were not actually available when customers purchased eligible devices. The proposed settlement was recently filed in federal court, as reported by USA Today.
Apple Intelligence was introduced as a major part of Apple’s AI strategy, with the company promising a more personalized Siri assistant capable of deeper app integration and stronger contextual awareness. Those features were presented as key selling points for the iPhone 16 series and the iPhone 15 Pro models.
However, customers alleged that the upgraded Siri experience remained unavailable long after the devices launched. The original lawsuit, filed in March 2025 by California resident Peter Landsheft, accused Apple of misleading consumers through aggressive AI-focused advertising campaigns. Additional plaintiffs later joined the case.
Court filings claimed the company encouraged customers to spend hundreds of dollars on new phones partly based on AI capabilities that had not yet been delivered. The complaint also alleged Apple underestimated the technical challenges involved in rolling out the promised Siri upgrades.
Apple denied wrongdoing and said it settled the case to remain focused on developing products and services. The company stated that it had already introduced more than 20 Apple Intelligence features and plans to continue expanding Siri’s AI capabilities through future software updates.
The proposed agreement still requires approval from a federal judge. A hearing on the settlement is currently scheduled for June.
If approved, the settlement would apply to customers in the United States who purchased eligible devices between June 10, 2024, and March 29, 2025. Covered models include the iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Plus, iPhone 16 Pro, iPhone 16 Pro Max, iPhone 16e, iPhone 15 Pro, and iPhone 15 Pro Max.
Eligible consumers could receive at least $25 per device, with payments potentially reaching as high as $95 depending on the number of approved claims and other settlement factors. Customers are expected to receive claim instructions through email or standard mail if the settlement receives final approval.
The case highlights growing scrutiny around AI marketing across the tech industry, particularly as companies race to advertise new artificial intelligence features before they are fully available to users.
