Apple has settled a $250 million lawsuit over its Apple Intelligence and Siri promises, and if you bought a recent iPhone, you could be eligible for a payout.
The settlement brings an end to a major class-action case in the United States that accused Apple of misleading customers about the availability of new artificial intelligence features, particularly an “enhanced” version of Siri that was heavily marketed as part of the Apple Intelligence rollout. While Apple did not admit any wrongdoing, it agreed to create a $250 million fund to compensate affected buyers of certain iPhone models.
Kelechi Edeh
At the centre of the lawsuit was Apple’s marketing around Apple Intelligence, introduced during Apple Worldwide Developers Conference 2024, where the company showcased what appeared to be a much smarter, more context-aware Siri. Ads and presentations suggested Siri would soon evolve from a basic voice assistant into something closer to a personal AI agent that could understand context across apps and remember past interactions. The problem, according to the lawsuit, is that these features were not actually available when the iPhone 16 and later devices shipped.
Plaintiffs argued that Apple “saturated the market” with advertising that implied these Siri capabilities were ready or imminent, influencing people to upgrade their phones. In reality, Apple later admitted that the AI overhaul of Siri was taking longer than expected. The company even pulled an advertisement that demonstrated Siri performing tasks it could not yet do. The Better Business Bureau’s National Advertising Division reportedly also questioned Apple’s claim that Apple Intelligence was “available now.”
This isn’t Apple’s first Siri-related legal trouble either. Just last year, the company paid $95 million to settle a lawsuit over privacy concerns involving Siri recordings. Combined with this new settlement, it shows how central Siri, and now AI, has become to Apple’s public image and legal scrutiny.
Louis Eriakha
So who qualifies for this payout?
The settlement covers U.S. customers who purchased any model of the iPhone 15 or iPhone 16 between June 10, 2024 and March 29, 2025. Eligible customers may receive a base payment of $25 per device, which could rise to as much as $95 depending on how many claims are submitted. The settlement still requires final court approval, after which a claims process will open.
If you think you qualify, the next step is to watch for official notices once the court approves the deal. A dedicated settlement website and claim form will be published, where you’ll need to submit proof of purchase or device ownership details. If approved, the payout could come as cash or credit.
Interestingly, this all unfolds just as Apple is expected to finally unveil a more advanced Siri at Apple Worldwide Developers Conference this June, the very upgrade that sparked the lawsuit in the first place.
