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Apple to Pay $250 Million to Settle Class Action Over Delayed Siri Features

Apple's $250 million settlement marks a rare defeat for the tech giant, which was accused of false advertising and unfair competition over delayed Siri features that were touted as transformative upon the iPhone 16's launch in September 2024, only to be pushed back to March 2025, sparking a class action lawsuit that claimed millions of consumers were misled into unnecessary device upgrades. The delayed Apple Intelligence features, first showcased at WWDC 2024, were a key selling point for the iPhone 16. The settlement resolves a high-stakes consumer law dispute.

Tariq B (AI-assisted) May 5, 2026 1 min read EN

Apple has agreed to pay $250 million to settle a class action lawsuit that accused the company of false advertising and unfair competition. The lawsuit centered on personalized Siri features that Apple promoted as a key selling point for the iPhone 16 but then delayed by several months.

Overview

The settlement resolves claims that Apple misled consumers when it showcased an Apple Intelligence version of Siri at WWDC 2024 and continued to promote those features in ads and videos when the iPhone 16 launched in September 2024. The lawsuit alleged that Apple set "a clear and reasonable consumer expectation that these transformative features would be available upon the iPhone's release" and that this caused "unprecedented excitement" leading millions of consumers to upgrade their devices unnecessarily.

Apple delayed the Siri Apple Intelligence features in March 2025. After the delay, Apple pulled its ads, but they had been running for several months. The lawsuit claimed Apple violated consumer law by misleading consumers about the actual utility and performance of Apple Intelligence, causing them to purchase a device "with features that did not exist or were materially misrepresented."

Settlement details

The $250 million payment will provide U.S. Settlement Class Members who submit Claim Forms with a per-device payment of $25 for each eligible device. That amount could increase up to $95 per device if claim volume is low. Eligible devices include iPhone 16, iPhone 16e, iPhone 16 Plus, iPhone 16 Pro, iPhone 16 Pro Max, iPhone 15 Pro, or iPhone 15 Pro Max models purchased between June 10, 2024, and March 29, 2025.

The settlement has received preliminary approval. Notices to those eligible to make a claim will start to receive email notices no more than 45 days from today.

Bottom line

This settlement represents a rare consumer-law defeat for Apple, which was forced to pay a substantial sum for promoting features that did not ship on time. For consumers who bought an eligible iPhone during the relevant window, filing a claim could yield $25 to $95 per device.

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