Every class member in the $250 million Apple Intelligence settlement has exactly three options, and all three expire on December 21, 2026. Most people should file the claim and take the $25 to $95 per phone. A small number have reasons to opt out. A smaller number still may want to object. Doing nothing is also a choice, and it is the worst of the four: you are bound by the release and paid nothing. Here is what each path actually involves.
The Case in Two Paragraphs
Landsheft, et al. v. Apple Inc. alleges that Apple marketed the iPhone 16 lineup and the Apple Intelligence-capable iPhone 15 Pro models around a redesigned Siri that could understand personal context, act across apps and respond to what was on screen, when those features did not ship and were later delayed. Apple denies every allegation and the settlement is not an admission of wrongdoing. Judge Noël Wise of the Northern District of California granted preliminary approval on July 17, 2026.
The class is U.S. residents who bought a new iPhone 15 Pro, 15 Pro Max, 16, 16 Plus, 16 Pro, 16 Pro Max or 16e in the United States between June 10, 2024 and March 29, 2025 for use rather than resale. The Total Settlement Amount is $250 million; after fees, costs and service awards it is divided per eligible device at $25, adjustable pro rata up to a $95 ceiling.
Option 1: File a Claim
Who it is for: nearly everyone in the class. What you get: $25 per phone as the base figure, more if the claim rate is low, less if it is high. What you give up: the right to sue Apple individually over the same conduct, which you give up anyway by staying in the class.
No receipt is required. The form asks for the phone’s serial number, or the Apple Account email and phone number used with it, and the administrator matches that against Apple’s purchase records. One claim per device; a business files one entity claim with a device list. Online claimants can be paid by check, PayPal, Venmo or direct deposit. File at the official settlement website, SmartphoneAISettlement.com, by December 21, 2026. A detailed walkthrough of the serial-number and Apple Account paths is at OpenClassActions.org.
Every claimant certifies that when they bought the phone they expected certain Siri Apple Intelligence features and did not receive them. Read that sentence before signing it; claims are subject to audit.
Option 2: Opt Out
Who it is for: a class member who believes their individual damages are far larger than $95 per phone and who is prepared to pursue them. What you get: the right to bring your own lawsuit or arbitration against Apple over the same conduct. What you give up: every dollar from this settlement.
Be realistic about the math. The individual damages theory in a false-advertising case over a consumer phone is the price premium attributable to the missing feature, which no plaintiff has yet proven and which Apple will contest. An individual claim would also face Apple’s arbitration and dispute-resolution terms, and the cost of litigating alone against a defendant with unlimited resources. A business that bought thousands of eligible devices for a use that depended on the promised Siri capabilities is the only category for which opting out is worth a conversation with counsel. For an individual with one or two phones it almost never is.
How: mail a signed, dated written request to the Settlement Administrator, postmarked by December 21, 2026, that identifies the case, gives your name, address, and contact details, and states that you want to be excluded. The notice prohibits group, mass or class opt-outs; each person opts out for themselves. If you both file a claim and opt out, you are treated as excluded unless the opt-out is withdrawn. Once excluded, you receive nothing and cannot object.
Option 3: Object
Who it is for: a class member who intends to stay in the settlement but believes the court should reject or change it. What you get: the court reads and considers your objection, and you may appear at the final approval hearing. What you give up: nothing; an objector who files a claim is still paid if the settlement is approved.
Objections that get traction are about the settlement’s structure, not about disliking Apple. The live questions here are the size of the attorneys’ fee request, which Class Counsel must post on the settlement website by November 17, 2026, five weeks before the objection deadline; whether $25 per device is adequate given the alleged price premium; and whether the pro rata mechanism, which can push payments below $25 if the claim rate is high, is fair. The $2,000 service-award cap for named plaintiffs is modest by current standards and unlikely to draw fire.
How: file a written objection with the court, electronically through its filing system or by mail, by December 21, 2026, in the format the long-form notice specifies: the case name and number, your name and contact details, proof that you are a class member, the grounds for the objection, and whether you or a lawyer intend to appear. You cannot both opt out and object. The court can approve or reject the settlement but cannot order a larger one, and an objection that is overruled leaves you a paid class member. An objector who appeals a final approval order delays payment for the entire class, which the notice makes clear.
The Timeline
Fee motion posted by November 17, 2026. Claims, opt-outs and objections due December 21, 2026. Final approval hearing February 24, 2027 at 9:00 a.m., Courtroom 3, San Jose courthouse, before Judge Wise; the court may move the date without further notice. If approved, payments follow the effective date, after the appeal period runs or any appeal is resolved. No payment date has been announced.
Frequently Asked Questions
Should I opt out of the Apple Intelligence settlement?
Almost never, for an individual. Opting out forfeits the $25 to $95 per phone in exchange for the right to sue Apple alone over the same conduct, which means proving an individual price-premium damages theory against a well-resourced defendant. A business that bought many eligible devices for a use that depended on the promised Siri features is the only category for which it is worth discussing with counsel.
How do I opt out of the Apple Siri settlement?
Mail a signed, dated written exclusion request to the Settlement Administrator, postmarked by December 21, 2026, identifying the case and stating that you want to be excluded. Group opt-outs are not allowed. If you also file a claim, you are treated as excluded unless the opt-out is withdrawn, and you receive nothing.
Can I object and still get paid?
Yes. An objector remains a class member. If you file a claim and object, and the court approves the settlement over your objection, you are paid like everyone else. You cannot both opt out and object.
What is worth objecting to?
The attorneys’ fee request, which must be posted by November 17, 2026; the adequacy of $25 per device; and the pro rata mechanism that can push payments below $25 if claims are high. The court can approve or reject the settlement but cannot order a larger one.
What happens if I do nothing?
You stay in the class, are bound by the release of claims against Apple over the same conduct, and receive no payment because no claim was filed. It is the only option with no upside.
When will Apple Intelligence settlement payments be sent?
No date has been announced. Payment follows final approval at the February 24, 2027 hearing and the resolution of any appeal. An objector’s appeal would delay payment for the whole class.
Sources
- Smartphone AI Settlement — the official settlement website, administered by Verita Global, LLC: long-form notice, online claim form, individual and entity paper claim forms.
- Court-approved long-form notice in Landsheft, et al. v. Apple Inc., Case No. 5:25-cv-02668-NW, U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, San Jose Division: class definition, the seven Eligible Devices, the class period, the $250 million Total Settlement Amount, the $25 per-device payment and $95 cap, the December 21, 2026 deadlines and the February 24, 2027 final approval hearing.
- Order granting preliminary approval, July 17, 2026, Hon. Noël Wise.
- OpenClassActions.com — Apple $250M Apple Intelligence Siri Settlement, and its May 2026 report on how the settlement came together.
This article is for informational purposes only and is not legal advice. This site is not a law firm, is not the settlement administrator and is not affiliated with Apple or any party to the case. Apple denies the allegations and no court has decided the merits. Deadlines and payment amounts can change as the court and the administrator act; confirm current status on the official settlement website. You never need to pay anyone to file a claim.