Apple agrees to pay $250m to settle lawsuit over delayed AI Siri

In short: Apple has agreed to a proposed $250 million settlement after US iPhone buyers sued over AI Siri features that were advertised but not yet released.

What happened

Apple is set to pay $250 million to settle a false advertising lawsuit filed in California federal court. The case was brought on behalf of a group of US customers who bought the iPhone 16, and some iPhone 15 models.

The buyers said Apple promoted a “personalised” version of Siri in 2024, but the feature still has not launched. The lawsuit described the promised features as “vapourware,” which is an industry word for something announced before it actually exists (like selling tickets to a show that has not been scheduled).

The settlement would not include any admission of wrongdoing by Apple. A judge still needs to approve the proposed deal.

The Financial Times reported that Apple is expected to finally show an AI-enhanced Siri at its developer conference in June. AI here means software that can understand requests and produce answers, similar to a very advanced autocomplete.

Apple had promoted the new Siri with TV ads ahead of the iPhone 16 launch in September 2024, including commercials featuring actor Bella Ramsey. Apple later confirmed the personalised Siri was delayed and pulled the ads. CEO Tim Cook said on a May 2025 earnings call that the work on Siri was “taking a bit longer than we thought.”

Why it matters

For everyday buyers, this case is about whether phone features shown in advertising are actually available when you buy the device. It also adds pressure on Apple to be clearer about what is ready now versus what is coming later, especially as AI features are being used to encourage people to upgrade their phones.

Source: Financial Times