{"id":240586,"date":"2026-05-06T18:15:00","date_gmt":"2026-05-06T22:15:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/news-you-need.com\/index.php\/2026\/05\/06\/apple-to-pay-iphone-buyers-250-million-after-lawsuit-claims-it-hyped-non-existent-ai-in-bait-and-switch-the-mercury-news\/"},"modified":"2026-05-06T19:20:07","modified_gmt":"2026-05-06T23:20:07","slug":"apple-to-pay-iphone-buyers-250-million-after-lawsuit-claims-it-hyped-non-existent-ai-in-bait-and-switch-the-mercury-news","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/news-you-need.com\/index.php\/2026\/05\/06\/apple-to-pay-iphone-buyers-250-million-after-lawsuit-claims-it-hyped-non-existent-ai-in-bait-and-switch-the-mercury-news\/","title":{"rendered":"Apple to pay iPhone buyers $250 million after lawsuit claims it hyped non-existent AI in \u2018bait and switch\u2019 \u2013 The Mercury News"},"content":{"rendered":"

Apple to pay iPhone buyers $250 million after lawsuit claims it hyped non-existent AI in \u2018bait and switch\u2019 \u2013 The Mercury News<\/a><\/p>\n

https:\/\/www.mercurynews.com\/2026\/05\/06\/apple-pay-iphone-buyers-250-million-lawsuit-ai\/<\/a><\/p>\n

Publish Date: 2026-05-06 18:15:00<\/a><\/p>\n

Source Domain: www.mercurynews.com<\/a><\/p>\n

Apple has agreed to pay $250 million to people who bought certain newer-model iPhones, to settle a class-action lawsuit claiming it hyped artificial intelligence features that didn\u2019t exist.<\/p>\n

At issue in the case were Apple\u2019s statements and ads heavily promoting \u201cApple Intelligence,\u201d a set of purportedly advanced generative AI features centered around its chatbot Siri. Starting in mid-2024, Apple claimed the enhanced Siri \u201cwould intelligently interact with users\u2019 personal data across device applications and apply that data to solve everyday problems,\u201d and act as a \u201cfully fledged AI assistant,\u201d the lawsuit in San Jose U.S. District Court said.<\/p>\n

However, the lawsuit alleged, it wasn\u2019t until March 2025 after millions of customers bought iPhones, \u201cexpecting the heralded features,\u201d that Apple admitted enhanced Siri didn\u2019t exist at the time the Cupertino tech giant began widely hyping it, and would not be available until sometime in 2026.<\/p>\n

Apple \u201cmisled\u201d customers into paying a premium price of $599 to more than $1,200 for the iPhone 16, iPhone 15 Pro, and 15 Pro Max, the settlement agreement filed Tuesday alleged.<\/p>\n

The company\u2019s \u201cbait and switch\u201d broke \u201cmultiple false advertising, unfair competition, and consumer protection laws,\u201d the lawsuit, filed in March 2025, claimed.<\/p>\n

In agreeing to settle the case, Apple denied wrongdoing, said Burlingame law firm Cotchett, Pitre & McCarthy, which represented iPhone buyers in the lawsuit.<\/p>\n

In a statement Tuesday, Apple said it \u201cresolved this matter to stay focused on doing what we do best, delivering the most innovative products and services to our users.\u201d<\/p>\n

U.S. residents who bought particular iPhones in the U.S. from June 10, 2024 to March 29, 2025 may be eligible to receive $25 to $95 per device, the dollar amount depending largely on how many claims are made.<\/p>\n

About 37 million iPhones are subject the settlement.<\/p>\n

Here are the models:\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n