Apple Settles $250M Lawsuit Over Broken Apple Intelligence Promises

Summary

Apple has agreed to pay $250 million to settle a class action lawsuit accusing the company of misleading customers about the availability of Apple Intelligence features, particularly its AI-powered Siri. The settlement applies to US customers who purchased iPhone 16 models or iPhone 15 Pro devices between June 10, 2024, and March 29, 2025. Eligible customers can receive $25 per device, with potential adjustments ranging up to $95 per device based on claim volume.

The lawsuit stemmed from Apple's June 2024 marketing that promised AI-powered features would be available at the iPhone 16's launch in September 2024. However, when the devices arrived, many advertised Apple Intelligence capabilities—including an upgraded Siri—were either missing or severely limited. Apple subsequently rolled out features gradually over time and delayed the launch of its more personalized Siri, which is now expected later in 2025.

The settlement resolves claims that Apple's advertisements created "a clear and reasonable consumer expectation" about Apple Intelligence availability while the products "offered a significantly limited or entirely absent version." Last April, the National Advertising Division recommended Apple discontinue its "available now" claim, and the company pulled an iPhone 16 advertisement featuring actor Bella Ramsey using the AI-upgraded Siri. Apple maintains it did not admit wrongdoing and stated it resolved the matter to focus on "delivering the most innovative products and services."

• Apple's AI capabilities, including personalized Siri, were rolled out gradually over months rather than at launch as implied
• Regulatory bodies already flagged Apple's 'available now' claims as misleading before the settlement