Apple to Pay $250M to iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 16 Owners for AI Feature Delays

Apple has reached a settlement in a class-action lawsuit filed by shareholders over delays in launching Apple Intelligence features on its latest smartphones. As part of the agreement, the company will allocate $250 million in compensation to buyers of the iPhone 15 Pro, iPhone 15 Pro Max, and the entire iPhone 16 lineup purchased between June 10, 2024, and March 29, 2025.

The lawsuit was initiated after Apple heavily promoted new AI features, including enhanced Siri capabilities, which were unavailable at the time of the devices' launch. The first components of Apple Intelligence were introduced only five weeks after the release of iOS 18.1. The settlement notes that Apple’s marketing materials may have misled consumers regarding the timeline for implementing the advertised features.

Compensation eligibility extends to owners of models equipped with the A17 Pro chip or later, as these devices were initially marketed as AI-ready. An estimated 36 million users are expected to qualify. Payouts will range from $25 to $95, depending on the smartphone model.

The compensation process will commence following court approval of the settlement, scheduled for June 17, 2026. Apple will provide customer purchase data to a payout administrator, who will send notifications via email and postal mail. Claim submissions will be accepted within 90 days of notification, with the first payments expected no earlier than September 2026.