Apple’s $250 Million Siri AI Settlement:
Who Gets Paid & What Happens Next
📋 What Apple Is Accused Of
At its Worldwide Developers Conference in June 2024, Apple previewed a rebuilt Siri powered by its Apple Intelligence system. The pitch was a personal assistant that would understand context from emails and calendar, see what was on screen, and carry out multi-step tasks across apps. Apple placed those promises front and centre in its iPhone 16 marketing when the phone launched in September 2024, including a television advert featuring actor Bella Ramsey.
The features did not arrive. In March 2025, Apple delayed the personalised Siri and quietly pulled the adverts. The lawsuit, Landsheft v. Apple Inc., was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California by the Clarkson Law Firm in March 2025. Plaintiffs argued that Apple had marketed features that did not yet exist, leading people to buy iPhones on a false promise, breaking California’s consumer protection and false advertising laws. See our coverage of AI regulation and how lawmakers are responding to the rapid pace of AI development.
✅ Who Can Claim & How Much
The settlement covers U.S. residents who purchased one of these models between June 10, 2024 and March 29, 2025:
Each valid claim pays $25 per device — that figure can rise to as much as $95 per device if fewer people claim than expected. Claimants will need proof of purchase, the device serial number, and their Apple Account details. You do not need to still own the phone to file.
Important: This is a United States payout only. If you bought your iPhone outside the U.S., you are not part of this settlement.
📅 Key Timeline
⚖️ Two Siri Lawsuits: What’s the Difference?
| Siri AI False Advertising (This Case) | Siri Privacy Case | |
|---|---|---|
| Settlement Amount | $250 million | $95 million |
| Per-Device Payout | $25 – $95 | ~$20 |
| Allegation | False advertising of AI features that didn’t exist | Siri recorded users without consent |
| Eligible Devices | iPhone 15 Pro, 15 Pro Max, all iPhone 16 models | Various Siri-enabled devices |
| Purchase Period | June 10, 2024 – March 29, 2025 | September 2014 – December 2024 |
Source: Court documents and public settlement filings.
🏢 Apple’s Position
Apple denies any wrongdoing. A company spokesperson said Apple settled “to stay focused on doing what we do best, delivering the most innovative products and services to our users”, and pointed to the many Apple Intelligence features it has shipped since 2024.
The company has also emphasised that it has “introduced dozens of features” since launching Apple Intelligence, such as Visual Intelligence and Live Translations. Read about Apple’s $30 billion Broadcom chip deal and its push into U.S. manufacturing.
⏳ What Happens Now
As of July 2026, the California court has held a hearing on preliminary approval, but the judge has not yet issued a final ruling. If the settlement is approved, eligible buyers in the U.S. would be notified by email within about 45 days, and payouts are unlikely to begin before late 2026 or early 2027.
A settlement website with an online claims form is expected to go live in the coming months. Even if you are not notified but are a U.S. resident who purchased one of the eligible iPhone models within the specified dates, you should still be eligible.
🤖 The Siri That Was Sued Over Is Finally Here
At WWDC 2026, Apple introduced “Siri AI” — now partly powered by a custom version of Google’s Gemini model, a deal reported in January 2026. Apple’s announcement confirmed it arrives with iOS 27, available for the iPhone 15 Pro and newer, with the revamped assistant already available to test on the iOS 27 developer beta. Check out our guide to Android Auto sideloading for more on in-car tech.
📌 What This Means for You
The proposed settlement, filed on May 5, 2026, covers U.S. residents who purchased an iPhone 15 Pro, iPhone 15 Pro Max, or any iPhone 16 model between June 10, 2024 and March 29, 2025. Each eligible claim pays $25 per device, with the potential to rise to $95 if fewer claims are filed. The case remains pending final court approval, with a preliminary approval hearing scheduled for June 17, 2026. If approved, payouts are expected to begin in late 2026 or early 2027. For more context on the AI industry landscape, see our coverage of OpenAI and Anthropic’s IPO filings and the evolving AI market.
