Apple Lawsuit and Settlement: Which Case Pays, and the December 21 Deadline
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There is no single Apple lawsuit. As of September 30, 2026, the one Apple settlement you can act on is the $250 million Siri “Apple Intelligence” settlement, Landsheft v. Apple: if you bought an iPhone 15 Pro, 15 Pro Max or any iPhone 16 model in the U.S. between June 10, 2024 and March 29, 2025, you can file a claim until December 21, 2026. It is the Apple settlement that has been in the news since it was filed on May 5, 2026. The older $95 million Siri recordings settlement already paid out in January 2026 and is closed. The antitrust cases and a record patent verdict pay consumers nothing today.
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Reviewed by Leonard Goldberg, Editor · Last updated
What Each Apple Lawsuit Is About
Siri and Apple Intelligence advertising ($250 million settlement). Buyers allege they purchased an iPhone 15 Pro or iPhone 16 expecting certain Siri Apple Intelligence features that they did not receive. Apple denies all of the allegations and settled without admitting wrongdoing.
Siri recordings ($95 million settlement, closed). The 2019 case Lopez v. Apple claimed that Siri recorded conversations without a “Hey, Siri” command or a button press. It is a different case from the one above, with different class members.
Antitrust. The Justice Department accuses Apple of monopolizing the U.S. smartphone market, and private plaintiffs have filed their own smartphone antitrust suits. A separate proposed class action claims Apple keeps “full-service” cloud storage on iPhones and iPads limited to iCloud. The long-running App Store consumer case accused Apple of raising app prices by banning purchases outside its App Store.
A patent case. In late September 2026 a San Diego federal jury found that Apple owes a patent holder, Taction, more than $5.7 billion over the haptic technology in the iPhone and Apple Watch. Apple is the defendant there too, but no consumer is part of that case.
Case Details
The $250 million settlement is Landsheft, et al. v. Apple Inc., No. 5:25-cv-02668, in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California in San Jose, before Judge Noel Wise; the first complaint was filed on March 19, 2025. The Siri recordings case is Lopez v. Apple Inc., No. 4:19-cv-04577-JSW, in the same district, before Judge Jeffrey S. White. The Justice Department's case is United States v. Apple Inc., No. 2:24-cv-04055, in the District of New Jersey, before Judge Julien Xavier Neals, who also handles the consumer suits consolidated as In re Apple Inc. Smartphone Antitrust Litigation, MDL No. 3113 (No. 2:24-md-03113). The iCloud case is Gamboa v. Apple Inc., No. 5:24-cv-01270 (N.D. Cal.), before Judge Eumi K. Lee. The App Store consumer case was before Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers in Oakland.
Status on September 30, 2026, Case by Case
$95 million Siri recordings settlement: paid and closed. Final approval came in October 2025, and payments began arriving in late January 2026, labeled “Lopez Voice Assistant.” No new claims. Details in our Siri settlement tracker.
Justice Department antitrust case: pending. The judge denied Apple's motion to dismiss on June 30, 2025. On September 28, 2026, Apple opened a court proceeding to force Meta to comply with a subpoena in the case. A government lawsuit has no consumer claim form.
Private smartphone antitrust suits (MDL 3113): pending. No settlement or claim form has been announced.
iCloud case: in discovery. The judge denied Apple's renewed motion to dismiss on June 16, 2025; a discovery conference was held on September 8, 2026. No settlement.
App Store consumer case: class decertified. In October 2025 the judge decertified the class of Apple customers, so there is no class-wide payout in sight.
Taction patent verdict: more than $5.7 billion, not a final judgment; Apple says it will appeal.
Don't miss the claim deadline
Claims are due by December 21, 2026. We'll email you 7 days and 1 day before the deadline.
Can You Get Money From an Apple Lawsuit?
You bought an iPhone 16, 16e, 16 Plus, 16 Pro, 16 Pro Max, 15 Pro or 15 Pro Max in the U.S., as a U.S. resident and not for resale, between June 10, 2024 and March 29, 2025: you are in the $250 million settlement class. The base iPhone 15 and 15 Plus are not on the list. The official site says you must be the original purchaser, and there is a separate claim path for businesses. File at the official site, SmartphoneAISettlement.com, online by December 21, 2026, or by mail postmarked by that date. You file one claim for each eligible iPhone.
What the claim asks for: your contact details, confirmation that you expected Siri Apple Intelligence features you did not get, confirmation of when and where you bought the phone, and information that proves the purchase or ownership. The official FAQ explains where to find the serial number. You file the claim yourself; doing nothing means no payment.
You were in the $95 million Siri recordings settlement: it is closed. If you filed, your payment went out in January 2026.
Everyone else: nothing to file. The antitrust cases, the iCloud case and the patent verdict have no settlement and no claim form. For claims you can file now, see our open class action settlements.
What the $250 Million Actually Pays Per iPhone
Money comes only after the court approves the deal at the February 24, 2027 hearing, and appeals can push it later. For scale: the $95 million Siri recordings settlement paid about $8 per device on average, according to reports. The iPhone throttling settlement paid $92.17 per claim in January 2024. Anyone promising you a fixed amount from the Apple settlement today is guessing.
Apple Lawsuit Timeline
- 1
June 2025 — Two Antitrust Cases Survive
On June 16, 2025 the judge in the iCloud case denies Apple's renewed motion to dismiss. On June 30, 2025 the judge in New Jersey denies Apple's motion to dismiss the Justice Department's smartphone case.
- 2
October 2025 — Siri Recordings Deal Approved, App Store Class Undone
Judge Jeffrey S. White grants final approval of the $95 million Siri recordings settlement. The same month, the App Store consumer class is decertified.
- 3
Late January 2026 — Siri Recordings Payments Arrive
Deposits labeled “Lopez Voice Assistant” reach people who filed in the $95 million case. Reported average: about $8 per device.
- 4
May 5, 2026 — The $250 Million Settlement Is Filed
Plaintiffs ask the court to approve Apple's $250 million settlement over Siri Apple Intelligence features. A hearing on it is first set for June 17, 2026 and held on July 8, 2026.
- 5
July 17, 2026 — Preliminary Approval
Judge Noel Wise grants preliminary approval. On August 13, 2026 the court moves the final hearing up from September 29, 2027 to February 24, 2027; on August 28, 2026 it approves a later start for notice and claims.
- 6
September 21 – December 21, 2026 — Claim Period
Notice emails go out and claims open on September 21, 2026. December 21, 2026 is the last day to file, opt out or object. The final approval hearing follows on February 24, 2027.
Three Apple-Settlement Traps
A settlement notice that reaches millions of iPhone owners by email is exactly what scammers copy:
Lookalike claim sites and paid “filing services”
The official site is SmartphoneAISettlement.com, run by the administrator, Verita. Its “File A Claim” button opens the administrator's claim portal at aplsconnect.com — that one is legitimate. Filing costs nothing: class counsel's fees are paid from the fund. A site that charges a fee or asks for your bank login is not the settlement.
“Apple” emails asking you to sign in
The claim form asks for contact details and proof of purchase or ownership, such as a serial number. Nothing in the official claim requirements calls for your Apple Account password or a verification code. A message asking for either is after your account. If unsure, type the settlement address yourself or call the administrator at 1-888-988-8945.
“Unclaimed Siri money” and “join the Apple antitrust lawsuit”
The $95 million Siri recordings settlement is closed and has already paid. There is nothing to sign up for in the Justice Department's case. Messages offering to “release” old Siri money or enroll you in an antitrust case for a fee are fraud.
Apple Lawsuit — Questions People Actually Ask
Is there an Apple settlement I can claim right now?
As of September 30, 2026, yes, one. The $250 million Siri Apple Intelligence settlement covers U.S. buyers of an iPhone 15 Pro, 15 Pro Max or any iPhone 16 model purchased between June 10, 2024 and March 29, 2025. File at SmartphoneAISettlement.com by December 21, 2026. Every other Apple case on this page is either closed or has no settlement.
How much will I get from the Apple class action settlement?
The starting point is $25 per eligible iPhone. It is adjusted pro rata, up or down, to a maximum of $95, depending on how many valid claims are filed and on the fees the court awards. Payments start only after final approval (the hearing is February 24, 2027) and after any appeals are resolved.
Is this the same as the Siri settlement that paid in January?
No. The January 2026 payments came from Lopez v. Apple, the $95 million settlement over Siri recording conversations, and that case is closed. The $250 million case is Landsheft v. Apple and is about Apple Intelligence Siri features on the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 16. You can be in both, but you must file separately in the new one.
I got an email about the Apple settlement. Is it real?
The settlement is run by the court-appointed administrator, Verita, not by Apple support. The official contacts are SmartphoneAISettlement.com, admin@SmartphoneAISettlement.com, 1-888-988-8945, and P.O. Box 301132, Los Angeles, CA 90030-1132. The real claim form sits at aplsconnect.com. The settlement site asks people not to call the court about the settlement.
I have two eligible iPhones. Do I file twice?
You can submit a claim for each eligible device, and each one needs information that proves you bought or own it. The official FAQ explains where to find a device's serial number. Keep your receipt or order confirmation.
Can I get money from the DOJ Apple lawsuit or the App Store case?
Not today. United States v. Apple is a government enforcement case with no consumer claim form. The private smartphone antitrust suits in MDL 3113 and the iCloud case have no settlement. The App Store consumer class was decertified in October 2025, so there is no class-wide payout from it.
What is the $5.7 billion Apple verdict?
A patent case. In late September 2026 a San Diego federal jury found that Apple owes Taction more than $5.7 billion over the haptic technology behind the Taptic Engine in the iPhone and Apple Watch. The money would go to Taction, not to iPhone owners. The verdict is not a final judgment, and Apple has said it will appeal.
What if I do nothing, or want to opt out?
If you are in the class and do nothing, you get no payment but are still bound by the settlement and give up your right to sue Apple over these claims. To opt out you must mail an individual written request to the administrator by December 21, 2026; the same date applies to objections.
Separate from this case: were you injured in the last 2 years?
Class-action payouts are fixed amounts through an administrator. A personal injury claim is a different case — and often worth far more. Free estimate, no obligation.
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