Tech giant Apple agreed to pay $250 million to end a lawsuit in the US related to claims that the company misled its customers about the availability of its Intelligence features on iPhone 15 models and iPhone 16 sold between June 10, 2024, and March 29, 2025, as per The Verge. This legal dispute alleged that Apple’s marketing has created fake expectations about Siri features being completely available at launch, leading to financial consequences from affected buyers.
All About The Lawsuit
As per the publication, this class action lawsuit was filed last year by US consumers who purchased eligible iPhone 16 and iPhone 15 Pro models. These consumers highlighted how Apple’s promotional material pointed out that Apple Intelligence features would be ready when the iPhone 16 launched; however, major tools were either missing or only available partially in the mentioned smartphones. This legal case suggested Apple’s advertising gave false hope to consumers that advanced AI features would be included at launch, which was found to be inaccurate later.
This proposed settlement includes people in the US who bought iPhone 16 models and the iPhone 15 Pro mobiles during the abovementioned period. Reportedly, consumers who file valid claims could receive nearly $25 per device. However, the final money could differ based on how many people apply, with payouts estimated to range up to nearly $95 per smartphone.
What Did Apple Promise?
Apple had originally previewed various AI-powered features during its WWDC 2024. These included upgrades for personalised Siri and other tools under Apple Intelligence. At the launch event of iPhone 16 in 2024, the company promoted the device as being ‘built for Apple Intelligence’. Over time, the Cupertino-based tech company rolled out features such as Genmoji, Playground and ChatGPT integration in Siri.
Notably, Apple had removed one of its advertisements featuring popular actor Bella Ramsey that demonstrated the upgraded Siri after concerns were raised related to the unavailability of the mentioned features. Apple has rejected any wrongdoing in the case. The eligible customers in the US could soon submit their claims and might receive compensation based on the terms of agreement.
