Apple’s AI Hype Has a $250 Million Price Tag: Here’s Who Gets Paid

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TL; DR
  • Apple agreed to a $250 million settlement over misleading Apple Intelligence marketing.
  • iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 16 buyers from June 2024 to March 2025 may receive $25–$95.
  • The promised Siri overhaul still hasn’t arrived and is now expected with iOS 27.

Apple spent months (and millions) saturating billboards, TV screens, and social media feeds with promises of a smarter, conversational, and personal Siri AI assistant, and now, it’s writing a $250 million (around ₹2,370 crores) check because it couldn’t fulfill those promises in time.

The Cupertino giant has agreed to a settlement in a class-action lawsuit, which, you might have already guessed, accused it of misleading buyers about the availability of Apple Intelligence features at the time of purchase (around the iPhone 16 launch, when Apple was marketing the phone with Apple Intelligence).

Also Read: vivo X300 FE Review: Big Flagship Features Without the Big Size

Who’s eligible and what they could get?

It’s worth reading how the customers in the United States are getting something in return for a misleading marketing campaign.

The settlement covers roughly 36 million devices sold in the region, including all the phones in the iPhone 15 Pro lineup (not the non-Pro variants), and those in the iPhone 16 lineup (a total of five models).

Anyone who purchased either of the seven devices between June 10, 2024, and March 29, 2025, is eligible to file a claim, and qualifying buyers stand to receive a presumptive $25 amount per device (can rise to $95 depending on the total number of claims).

Also Read: OpenAI’s GPT-5.5 Instant Is Here: Fewer Hallucinations, Less Clutter, Better Answers

Apple will begin sending notifications to eligible buyers within 45 days of May 5, 2026. Claimants, on the other hand, will need to provide their device serial number, Apple account information, and phone number to file a claim and get the presumptive amount.

It’s worth mentioning that Apple has agreed to the settlement, but the court approval is still pending and would be mandatory before any money changes hands.

Also Read: CMF Watch 3 Pro Hits India: Dual-Band GPS, ChatGPT, and a 13-Day Battery Under ₹8,000

Apple’s Settled Lawsuit: Here’s A Timeline Of Events

DateEvent
June 2024Apple previews redesigned Siri and Apple Intelligence features at WWDC
September 2024iPhone 16 launches — with no Apple Intelligence features active
October 2024Core Apple Intelligence features begin rolling out with iOS 18.1
Late 2024Lawsuit (Landsheft v. Apple) filed in US District Court, Northern District of California
March 2025Apple acknowledges Siri overhaul delay and pulls its AI advertisements
March 2025National Advertising Division recommends Apple stop calling features “available now”
December 2025A settlement agreement was reached between Apple and the plaintiffs
May 5, 2026$250 million settlement formally filed for court approval
May 2026Personalised Siri features still unavailable
June 8, 2026iOS 27 — carrying the promised Siri overhaul — expected to be previewed at WWDC
June 17, 2026Final court hearing scheduled to approve the settlement

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Shikhar MehrotraShikhar Mehrotra
Shikhar Mehrotra is a seasoned technology writer and reviewer with over five years of experience covering consumer tech across India and global markets. At Smartprix, he has authored more than 1,700 articles, including news stories, features, comparisons, and product reviews spanning automobiles, smartphones, chipsets, wearables, laptops, home appliances, and operating systems. Shikhar has reviewed flagship devices such as the iPhone 16, Galaxy S25+, and Sennheiser HD 505 Open-Ear headphones. He also contributes regularly to Smartprix’s growing automotive section.

With a deep understanding of both iOS and Android ecosystems, Shikhar specializes in daily tech news, how-to explainers, product comparisons, and in-depth reviews. His DSLR photography in product reviews is recognized as among the best on the team.

Before joining Smartprix, Shikhar wrote for leading publications including Forbes Advisor India, Republic World, and ScreenRant. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism and Mass Communication from Amity University, Lucknow.

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