SAN FRANCISCO – Apple on May 5 agreed to pay US$250 million (S$319 million) to settle a class action lawsuit accusing it of misleading millions of iPhone buyers by falsely touting artificial intelligence capabilities for its Siri voice assistant in late 2024.
Plaintiffs accused the California tech giant of having “promoted A.I capabilities that did not exist at the time, do not exist now, and will not exist for two or more years” in order to boost iPhone sales, the document – reviewed by AFP – stated.
The Better Business Bureau’s National Advertising Division, the US advertising watchdog, had also concluded that Apple falsely suggested the new AI-powered Siri was “available now”.
The settlement filed on May 5 for court approval, which includes no admission of wrongdoing by Apple, covers roughly 36 million eligible devices – the iPhone 16, as well as the iPhone 15 Pro and 15 Pro Max – purchased in the United States between June 10, 2024, and March 29, 2025.
Each class member could receive US$25 per device, a sum that could reach US$95 depending on the number of approved claimants.
“We resolved this matter to stay focused on what we do best: delivering the most innovative products and services to our users,” Apple told the Financial Times.
A Morgan Stanley survey cited in the complaint indicated that “enhanced Siri” was the feature that potential iPhone buyers most anticipated.
Apple had launched a major advertising campaign in 2024 to promote these capabilities, before confirming their indefinite delay and pulling its ads.
The settlement must still be approved by Judge Noel Wise of the federal district court for the Northern District of California at a hearing set for June 17, 2026. AFP
