Apple settles $250M lawsuit over Siri AI features that never arrived
Apple has agreed to a $250 million settlement to resolve a class-action lawsuit over AI-powered Siri features that were advertised but never delivered. Around 36 million US buyers of iPhone 16 and iPhone 15 Pro models could claim between $25 and $95 per device, per 9to5Mac. The settlement has received preliminary approval, with a final hearing scheduled for June 17, 2026.
The promise vs. the reality
At WWDC 2024, Apple unveiled a "personalized" Siri capable of understanding on-device context and taking actions inside apps on your behalf. The feature was central to the iPhone 16 launch marketing — including a widely-aired ad campaign — and was positioned as the reason to upgrade. Then, in March 2025, Apple quietly confirmed the feature was delayed indefinitely. The ads were pulled only after that announcement, more than five months after iPhone 16 went on sale.
Engadget notes that the settlement contains no admission of fault from Apple. The company did roll out some Apple Intelligence features during 2024–2025 — text editing tools, image generation, and a ChatGPT tie-in — but the contextual Siri upgrade at the heart of the marketing never shipped.
Who can claim, and what's next
Eligibility covers US purchases of an iPhone 16 (any model) or iPhone 15 Pro between June 10, 2024 and March 29, 2025. Claims open within 45 days of May 5, 2026. The $25 floor can rise to $95 depending on how many people file — fewer claims means a bigger payout per device.
The enhanced Siri is now expected to arrive as part of iOS 27, reportedly built on a partnership with Google and its Gemini models. Rivals Microsoft Copilot and Samsung Galaxy AI both shipped their headline AI features on schedule. Apple's delays have forced the company into an external AI dependency it spent years trying to avoid.
UK and EU buyers who saw the same advertising campaigns are excluded from the settlement entirely. No equivalent class-action or regulatory enforcement has been launched in Europe, and contextual Siri features remain blocked there under Digital Markets Act constraints — with no clear timeline for arrival.