Business

iPhone Buyers Can Claim Up to $95 in Apple’s Siri Settlement

By Mike Harper · September 22, 2026

If you bought a new iPhone between summer 2024 and spring 2025, Apple may owe you money. The tech giant has agreed to pay $250 million to settle a class action lawsuit over Siri features that were promoted in ads but never delivered on time — and the settlement website went live on September 21, giving eligible buyers just three months to file a claim.

Here’s what you need to know before the December 21 deadline.

Who qualifies. To be eligible, you must be a U.S. resident who purchased one of seven specific iPhone models — for personal use, not resale — between June 10, 2024 and March 29, 2025. The eligible models are the iPhone 15 Pro, iPhone 15 Pro Max, iPhone 16, iPhone 16e, iPhone 16 Plus, iPhone 16 Pro, and iPhone 16 Pro Max, MacRumors reported. If a family member bought one of those phones during that window, they’re eligible too.

How much you get. The settlement pays an estimated $25 per qualifying iPhone. That amount can rise if fewer people file claims than expected. The maximum payout is capped at $95 per device, with the actual per-device amount depending on the total number of valid claims submitted and other factors, Gizmodo reported. Attorney fees and administrative costs come out of the $250 million fund before anything reaches consumers, so the $25 base estimate is what most claimants should expect.

What Apple was accused of. In June 2024, Apple previewed a new version of Siri powered by Apple Intelligence that would understand personal context — pulling from your Mail, Messages, and other apps to answer questions like “when is my mom’s flight landing?” The features were showcased in a widely aired iPhone 16 television ad starring “The Last of Us” actress Bella Ramsey. In March 2025, Apple quietly delayed the personalized Siri features and pulled the ad. That delay became the basis for a class action lawsuit alleging false advertising. Apple has denied wrongdoing but agreed to settle “to stay focused” on its products, the company said.

How to file. The official settlement website is smartphoneaisettlement.com. Over the coming days, eligible customers will receive an email notification with a claim ID and PIN code. If you don’t receive that email, the site allows you to submit a claim without it — you’ll need the iPhone’s serial number, or alternatively, your Apple Account email and the phone’s phone number. Do not respond to any texts, calls, or emails claiming to be from the settlement that ask for banking details or Social Security numbers. Legitimate class action settlements don’t need those to send you a check.

The deadline is December 21. Claims can be submitted between September 21 and December 21, 2026. If you miss the window, you don’t get paid.

When you’ll actually see the money. A final approval hearing is scheduled for February 24, 2027, so payments to eligible customers aren’t expected to begin until some point next year, MacRumors reported. Class action settlements often take six months to a year after approval before checks actually go out — patience is part of the process.

Whether to file. The math is simple. If you or someone in your household bought an eligible iPhone during the window, submitting a claim takes a few minutes. Even $25 is $25. If enough eligible buyers skip it, the payout per claim rises. The lawyers get paid either way.

The settlement website is live at smartphoneaisettlement.com. Get your iPhone serial number ready.