Newsletters
Apple has agreed to pay $250 million to resolve a class action lawsuit alleging that the company deceived millions of iPhone buyers by falsely advertising artificial intelligence capabilities for its Siri voice assistant that did not yet exist.
The settlement, filed Tuesday for court approval, covers roughly 36 million eligible devices, including the iPhone 16 and the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max models purchased in the United States between June 10, 2024, and March 29, 2025. Apple made no admission of wrongdoing as part of the agreement.
Plaintiffs alleged that Apple "promoted AI capabilities that did not exist at the time, do not exist now, and will not exist for two or more years," accusing the company of inflating iPhone sales on the back of features it could not deliver. The Better Business Bureau's National Advertising Division, the U.S. advertising watchdog, had separately concluded that Apple falsely suggested its AI-enhanced Siri was "available now."
Apple had mounted an aggressive advertising campaign in 2024 to market the upgraded Siri as a flagship feature of its new iPhone lineup, before later confirming the capabilities would be delayed indefinitely and pulling the ads.
The company declined to address the substance of the allegations directly. "We resolved this matter to stay focused on what we do best: delivering the most innovative products and services to our users," Apple said in a statement to the Financial Times.
A Morgan Stanley survey cited in the complaint found that an enhanced Siri ranked as the feature buyers most anticipated in the new iPhone lineup, underscoring why the allegations carry particular weight: customers may have upgraded their devices specifically based on capabilities Apple could not deliver.
Class action members stand to receive $25 per eligible device, with that figure potentially rising to $95 depending on the number of approved claimants.
The settlement remains subject to approval by Judge Noel Wise of the federal district court for the Northern District of California, with a hearing scheduled for June 17, 2026.
The case adds to mounting scrutiny of tech industry claims around artificial intelligence, as companies race to market AI-powered products amid intense competition, sometimes outpacing the technology's actual readiness.
Set as preferred source
Set as preferred source
1 min read
1 min read
