Consumers who purchased certain iPhone models may qualify for payments after Apple agreed to settle claims tied to advertising for unreleased artificial intelligence capabilities.
By yourNEWS Media Newsroom
Apple has agreed to a proposed $250 million settlement resolving allegations that the company misled consumers about advanced artificial intelligence features promoted during the launch of its iPhone 16 lineup and related software updates.
The class-action lawsuit, filed in federal court in Northern California on behalf of U.S. consumers, accused Apple of falsely advertising enhanced Siri capabilities tied to its “Apple Intelligence” platform before those features were available to users.
According to court filings submitted Tuesday, attorneys representing consumers asked the court to grant preliminary approval to the settlement, which would compensate eligible owners of certain iPhone models purchased between June 10, 2024, and March 29, 2025.
The agreement covers approximately 37 million devices sold in the United States, including all iPhone 16 models along with the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max.
Under the proposed terms, qualifying consumers could receive at least $25 per eligible device, with potential payouts rising to as much as $95 depending on the total number of approved claims and other settlement calculations.
If approved by a federal judge, the agreement would rank among the largest consumer settlements ever involving Apple.
The lawsuit focused on Apple’s extensive promotion of upgraded Siri functionality during the rollout of the iPhone 16 and accompanying software releases in 2024. Apple marketed the features as part of its broader “Apple Intelligence” initiative as competition intensified among major technology companies racing to expand artificial intelligence products and services.
Plaintiffs argued that Apple launched a marketing campaign centered on AI tools and Siri upgrades that had not yet been completed, encouraging consumers to purchase devices based on promised capabilities that remained unavailable.
Court filings stated that consumers “would not have purchased the Eligible Devices or would have paid significantly less, had they known Enhanced Siri features were not available.”
The filing also said Apple underestimated the level of public demand and scrutiny surrounding the company’s AI announcements as competitors accelerated their own artificial intelligence rollouts.
While Apple publicly introduced plans for a redesigned Siri experience and additional AI-powered features, the upgraded assistant has still not been fully released more than two years later.
The delay placed additional pressure on the company as competitors including Google and Samsung expanded AI integrations across smartphones and consumer devices.
Consumers covered by the settlement are expected to receive notifications by email or mail with instructions for submitting claims through an official settlement website once the agreement receives court approval.
Apple has not admitted wrongdoing as part of the proposed settlement.
The company is still expected to unveil additional Siri and artificial intelligence updates later this year, potentially during its annual developer conference scheduled for next month.
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