If you bought an iPhone 15 Pro or any iPhone 16 model in the United States during a specific window, Apple may owe you money. The company has opened the claims window for its $250 million Siri settlement (roughly Rs 2,200 crore), and eligible owners can now file for a payout that starts at $25 per device and could climb to $95.
Here is the quick version: check whether your phone and purchase date qualify, head to the official settlement website, enter your details and your iPhone’s serial number, and confirm you bought the phone expecting the smarter Siri Apple advertised but did not deliver. The whole thing takes a few minutes per device.
Why Apple is paying
The case, Landsheft et al. v. Apple Inc., accuses Apple of selling the iPhone 16 as “built for Apple Intelligence” while the smarter Siri demoed at WWDC 2024 was nowhere near finished. That upgraded Siri, capable of using on-device personal context, handling follow-up questions, and taking actions inside apps, only started reaching users with iOS 27 this September, more than two years after the first demo.
Apple denies any wrongdoing, and the settlement is not an admission of liability. The company agreed to the $250 million fund rather than keep fighting in court. The deal received preliminary approval on July 17, 2026, with a final approval hearing scheduled for February 24, 2027.
Who qualifies, exactly
Seven models are covered: the iPhone 15 Pro, iPhone 15 Pro Max, iPhone 16, iPhone 16e, iPhone 16 Plus, iPhone 16 Pro, and iPhone 16 Pro Max. The regular iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus are excluded, even if you love them.
Beyond the model, every box must be ticked:
- You were the original purchaser, not a second-hand buyer.
- You live in the United States and bought the phone in the United States.
- The purchase happened between June 10, 2024 and March 29, 2025.
- The phone was for personal or business use, not resale.
- You confirm that you expected to receive the Siri Apple Intelligence features Apple promoted and did not receive them as expected.
Owners outside the US, including Indian buyers of the same models, are not covered. The case was filed and settled under US law. Businesses that bought eligible devices have a separate filing path on the same site.
How the payout works
The base payout is $25 per device, and each phone needs its own claim. The up-to-$95 figure is not guaranteed. It depends on how many people file: fewer valid claims means the fixed $250 million fund stretches further per person, so filing sooner rather than later only helps your odds. Only one payment is allowed per phone.
Filing your claim, step by step
Claims are filed on the official settlement website, SmartphoneAISettlement.com. Before you start, grab your iPhone’s serial number: open Settings, tap General, then About, and you will find it listed there. If you no longer have the device, the form also accepts your Apple Account email and the phone number linked to it.
The form asks for your name, address, phone number, and the serial number. Eligible owners should also receive an email in the coming days containing a claim ID and PIN, but you do not need to wait for it to file. Submit one claim per eligible device.
A couple of practical notes. Do not use third-party “claim helper” sites that ask for extra fees or your Apple ID password. The official form is free, and the only credentials you need are the ones you type in yourself. And keep your claim confirmation somewhere safe until the final approval hearing in February 2027, since payouts come after the court signs off.
The bigger picture
This settlement is a reminder of how much of Apple’s AI story was sold before it was built. The company marketed Apple Intelligence hard through 2024 and 2025, and the Siri that actually shipped with iOS 27 is the one buyers thought they were getting in 2024. If you were one of those buyers, the claims window is open, and $95 is a decent consolation for two years of waiting.
