Millions of iPhone users qualify for a surprise Apple payout
Remember all the hype around Apple Intelligence? The smarter Siri. The AI-powered features. The promise that the new iPhone lineup was built for Apple's next big AI era. Well, millions of iPhone owners may soon be getting paid because some of those headline features weren't actually ready when the phones launched.
Apple has agreed to a $250 million settlement tied to claims that it promoted Apple Intelligence features that arrived later than customers expected. And if you bought the iPhone 16 lineup or some qualifying iPhone 15 models during the right timeframe, you could qualify for a payout.
Why Apple is paying
The lawsuit centers around Apple Intelligence, the company's AI platform introduced alongside the iPhone 16 lineup. According to the lawsuit, Apple heavily promoted advanced AI-powered Siri features during its marketing campaign, creating the impression that those capabilities would be available when customers received their new phones.
But when the devices launched, the anticipated AI features were not there yet. In fact, the first wave of Apple Intelligence features didn't arrive until iOS 18.1, several weeks after the phones hit store shelves. Even when Apple actually rolled out something, it was the more underwhelming features, such as Clean Up, Genmoji, Live Translation, Visual Intelligence, and Writing Tools. None of the advanced features highlighted at WWDC 2024 prior to the phone releases.
Apple denies wrongdoing but agreed to settle the case. In a statement, the company said it chose to resolve the claims so it could remain focused on “delivering the most innovative products and services to our users.”
The settlement covers customers who purchased any of the iPhone 16, iPhone 16E, iPhone 16 Plus, iPhone 16 Pro, iPhone 16 Pro Max, iPhone 15 Pro, and iPhone 15 Pro Max between June 10, 2024 and March 29, 2025. The iPhone 15 Pro models are included because they were also marketed as capable of running Apple Intelligence features.
How much money could you get?
The expected payout ranges from $25 to $95 per eligible device. The final amount will depend on how many people submit claims, administrative costs, and other settlement expenses. With an estimated 36 million eligible customers, nobody is getting rich here. Still, a refund is a refund.
Don't start looking for the claim form yet
Right now, there isn't a settlement website available. According to the agreement, Apple will first provide customer information to a settlement administrator. Once that information is verified, eligible customers will receive notices by email or by regular mail. Those notices will include instructions on how to submit a claim. After receiving the notice, customers will have 90 days to file.
As for when payments will arrive, the court is expected to approve the settlement in June 2026. After that, customer information will be verified, notices will be sent out, and claims will get processed. The first payments aren't expected until sometime after September 2026, assuming there aren't any delays or appeals.
So if you're expecting Apple Cash to suddenly appear next week, that's not happening.
Source: CNET
