Earlier this year, Apple settled a class-action lawsuit by agreeing to pay $250 million divided among U.S. iPhone owners. Here’s how to claim your share.
Apple launched its iPhone 16 series in 2024, marketing it as introducing an enhanced, next-generation Siri as well as AI tool suite Apple Intelligence. The tech giant further stated at the time that such features would be coming to the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max models.
However, a class-action lawsuit claimed not only that these features failed to materialise when promised, but also that Apple knew it was incapable of delivering them on its advertised timeline.
An updated Siri recently launched in beta, two years after customers were told to expect it. As such, the class-action lawsuit alleged that Apple’s marketing breached consumer protection laws, enticing people to buy new iPhones on the basis of features that didn’t exist.
Apple hasn’t admitted any fault, but has agreed to pay a $250 million settlement to impacted parties. If you bought an iPhone within the past few years, you may be one of them.
Are you eligible for Apple’s $250 million class-action lawsuit payout?
However, not all iPhone owners in the U.S. will have a claim to a piece of the pie. In order to get a share of the $250 million settlement, you must first meet a few requirements:
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You must live and have purchased an iPhone in the U.S. (and not just to onsell it);
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You must have purchased the iPhone between Jun. 10, 2024 and Mar. 29, 2025; and
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The iPhone must be one of the eligible devices, namely the iPhone 15 Pro, iPhone 15 Pro Max, or any iPhone 16 model. That is, the iPhone 16, iPhone 16e, iPhone 16 Plus, iPhone 16 Pro, or iPhone 16 Pro Max.
You also can’t be an Apple representative or employee, though that isn’t a criterion that the vast majority of iPhone owners will have to worry about.
If you fulfill these requirements, you may be entitled to a payout of approximately $25. This payout may change depending upon how much is deducted for legal fees, as well as how many people submit claims. (The class action complaint claims that there were approximately 37 million pre-orders for iPhone 16 series devices within the first weekend they opened, with that number subsequently continuing to grow.) However, while your individual payout could decrease, it could also increase to a maximum of $95.
How to claim a payout from Apple’s $250 million class-action settlement
To claim your settlement from Apple, you can submit a claim via the dedicated website Smartphone AI Settlement. Simply click on the “Submit Claim” button and fill out the form, including selecting the method by which you’d prefer to be paid.
You’ll also have to have your iPhone’s serial number on hand so it can be verified as part of the relevant class. In order to find it, simply open your iPhone’s settings, tap “General,” tap “About,” then locate your serial number. You can also press and hold on the number to copy it, so you don’t have to try to type it out manually.
The deadline for submitting a claim is Dec. 21, 2026, though it’s best to do it sooner if you’re interested so you don’t forget. Making a claim binds you to the settlement, meaning you won’t be able to bring any future case against Apple regarding the specific issues in this case.
Dec. 21 is also the deadline for excluding yourself from the settlement. Doing so means that you’ll get no money, but you keep the right to bring your own lawsuit against Apple about the delivery of Siri and Apple Intelligence features to the impacted iPhones. If you do nothing, you won’t get a payout but will still be bound by the settlement, so it’s best to decide which route you’d prefer now.
When will you receive Apple’s settlement payout?
Once all claims have been received, the Court will have a final hearing on Feb. 24, 2027 to determine if Apple’s settlement is fair, with payments expected to be made at some time after that. Unfortunately, you may have to wait a while, as such payments typically take several months. As such, while you won’t have the cash for Christmas, you may have better luck by Memorial Day.
Source: https://mashable.com/tech/apple-ai-iphone-settlement-how-to-claim
