Apple to pay $250 million for unfulfilled AI promises

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Key Takeaways

1Apple has agreed to pay $250 million to settle a class action lawsuit related to the iPhone 16 and 15.

2Customers who purchased these models between June 2024 and March 2025 could receive between $25 and $95.

3The promised Apple Intelligence features were not available at the launch of the affected devices.

💡Why it matters — This settlement highlights the stakes of marketing communication regarding technological innovations and the responsibility of companies towards their consumers.

Apple and the $250 Million Settlement: Who is Affected?

Apple is at the center of a major legal settlement, having agreed to pay $250 million to resolve a class-action lawsuit. This litigation concerns buyers of the iPhone 16 and certain models of the iPhone 15, who were enticed by promises of artificial intelligence (AI) features that were not delivered at launch. Consumers could receive financial compensation even before some of these features are rolled out, according to announcements expected at the upcoming Worldwide Developers Conference from Apple.

The Reasons Behind the Lawsuit Against Apple

The lawsuit against Apple stems from unfulfilled promises regarding Apple Intelligence, a suite of AI features intended to enhance the user experience. At the launch of the iPhone 16, Apple highlighted significant improvements to Siri and other AI tools. However, these features were not ready at the time the devices were marketed. It was only with the iOS 18.1 update, five weeks after the launch, that some features began to become available.

The class-action lawsuit accuses Apple of flooding the market with misleading advertisements, prompting consumers to purchase the new iPhones based on unfulfilled promises. While some features, such as Visual Intelligence and Live Translation, were rolled out shortly after, they did not match the technological advancements initially touted by the brand.

Eligibility for the Settlement: Who Can Claim Compensation?

Customers who purchased an iPhone 16, iPhone 16E, iPhone 16 Plus, iPhone 16 Pro, iPhone 16 Pro Max, iPhone 15 Pro, or iPhone 15 Pro Max between June 10, 2024, and March 29, 2025, are eligible to receive a portion of the settlement. The iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max models are included due to their ability to support Apple Intelligence features thanks to their advanced processor and memory. Approximately 36 million customers could benefit from this settlement.

Process to Claim Your Share of the Settlement

For now, customers must wait. Apple is committed to providing a list of eligible customers to a settlement administrator. After verification, the company Verita will send notifications via email and mail, directing customers to a dedicated settlement website. Customers will have 90 days to submit their claims after receiving the notification.

Payment Timeline: When Will Customers Receive Their Compensation?

Apple must provide the necessary information about the affected customers within five days following the approval of the settlement, scheduled for June 17, 2026. A 45-day notification period will follow to inform customers of their eligibility. Payments will be made within 60 calendar days after resolving the final administrative details, such as exclusions and objections. Therefore, the first payments could be made after September 2026, depending on judicial timelines and potential extensions.