Apple will pay iPhone owners billions as compensation for AI

The dispute mainly concerns the functions referred to as Apple Intelligence, i.e. Apple’s new AI platform, which was supposed to bring significantly smarter Siri and other advanced options for iPhones 15 and 16.

According to the lawsuit, Apple presented features in its marketing materials that were not available at the time of promotion. Lawyers for the customers say the company “promoted AI capabilities that did not exist then, do not exist now, and may not exist for two or more years.” Nevertheless, according to them, Apple presented them as a “breakthrough innovation”.

Apple did not admit wrongdoing, but agreed to a settlement. According to the company’s spokesperson, the lawsuit related only to the “availability of two additional functions” from the wider Apple Intelligence package.

“We have resolved this matter so that we can continue to focus on what we do best — providing our users with the most innovative products and services,” the company said, according to the BBC.

People in the United States who bought an iPhone 15 or iPhone 16 between June 2024 and March 2025 are entitled to financial compensation. The amount paid will be between 25 and 95 dollars, i.e. between 520 and 1950 crowns.

One of the main points of contention was also the expectations surrounding the new generation of Siri voice assistant. Apple presented it as a significantly more capable system that was supposed to transform the existing “limited voice interface into a full-fledged personal AI assistant”.

According to the lawyers, the promises were not fulfilled. “The iPhone 16 was shipped to customers without Apple Intelligence and the improved Siri never arrived,” they said in the lawsuit.

The whole case also shows the growing pressure on large technology companies in the field of artificial intelligence. According to the lawsuit, Apple tried to keep up with competitors, which include, for example, the companies OpenAI and Anthropic.

In recent years, criticism has also been directed at the head of Apple, Tim Cook, whom some experts blame for the slower pace of innovation.

Cook announced last month that he will leave the chair of Apple’s boss after 15 years. From September 1, he will be replaced by John Ternus, who until now was responsible for hardware.

Cook has been at the head of Apple since 2011, when he continued the legacy of co-founder Steve Jobs. During his era, the company continued to develop as one of the leaders of the technological world – from Mac computers to iPads to iPhones and Apple Watch smart watches.

“Being CEO of Apple and being trusted to lead such an extraordinary company has been the greatest honor of my life,” said Cook. In his new role, he is to focus, among other things, on strategic negotiations with political leaders around the world.

Apple was founded by Steve Jobs, Steve Wozniak and Ronald Gerald Wayne in 1976 in their parents’ garage. From the beginning, Steve Jobs acted as the spiritual leader of the entire company. Wozniak mainly took care of technical designs and construction of individual products.