The money in Apple’s $250 million Siri settlement belongs to whoever bought the phone, not whoever holds it now. An iPhone 16 you traded in for a 17 this month, a 15 Pro you sold on Swappa, a phone that went through a car wash in someone’s pocket: if you bought it new between June 10, 2024 and March 29, 2025, the claim is yours, and the form is built to handle a phone you cannot put your hands on. The deadline is December 21, 2026.
Why the Original Buyer Holds the Claim
The lawsuit, Landsheft v. Apple Inc., alleges that Apple sold the iPhone 16 lineup and the Apple Intelligence-capable iPhone 15 Pro models on the promise of Siri features that did not ship. Apple denies it. The legal injury the settlement compensates is the purchase decision: paying for a capability that was not there. That injury attaches to the person who paid, at the moment they paid. The settlement website says outright that the claimant must be the original purchaser, and it excludes anyone who bought a used or refurbished unit from someone other than the original seller. Trading the phone in later does not transfer the claim to the trade-in company, and selling it does not transfer the claim to the buyer.
Claiming for a Phone You No Longer Have
The claim form’s primary identifier is the serial number. For a phone you no longer hold, there are still four places it lives:
- Your Apple Account device list. Sign in on any iPhone, iPad or Mac, tap your name, scroll to the devices, or use the Devices section at account.apple.com. A phone stays listed until it is removed from the account, which most people never do when trading in.
- The retail box, on the barcode label on the bottom.
- The receipt or invoice. Apple Store and apple.com receipts and most carrier invoices print the serial number. Apple’s order history at apple.com keeps it indefinitely.
- A Finder or iTunes backup on a computer, which records the serial with the backup details.
If none of those survive, the form has a fallback: check the box saying you do not have the serial number and provide the Apple Account email address and the phone number that were used with the iPhone during the class period. The administrator matches that pair against Apple’s purchase records. Either route reaches the same payment, and neither requires a receipt.
Phones Bought for Someone Else
A parent who bought an iPhone 16 for a teenager is the purchaser and files the claim. The serial number is on the teenager’s phone or in the family’s Apple Account device list. A phone bought as a gift works the same way, provided it was bought new in the United States for use rather than resale. Anyone who bought phones to flip is outside the class by definition.
Business Fleets
A company that bought eligible phones for staff files a single entity claim, signed by an authorized representative who knows about the purchases, and attaches a list of serial numbers, or Apple Account emails and phone numbers, covering every device. Phones that have since been reassigned, returned by departing employees or retired are still claimable if the purchase falls in the window; the mobile device management console or the carrier’s account portal usually holds the serials. The payment is per device, so a fleet of forty phones is forty payments.
What Each Phone Pays
$25 is the notice’s starting figure, adjustable after fees and costs come out of the $250 million: up to $95 per device if few claims are filed, less than $25 if many are. The final figure is set after December 21. Online claimants can choose a check, PayPal, Venmo or direct deposit. The final approval hearing is February 24, 2027 before Judge Noël Wise in San Jose; payment follows the ruling and any appeals, with no date announced.
The One Thing the Form Makes You Say
Each claim ends with a declaration that when you bought the phone you expected certain Siri Apple Intelligence features and did not receive them, that the purchase was in the United States inside the class period, and that the information is true. It is signed under penalty and the notice says claims may be audited. Whether you still own the phone is not part of the declaration; whether you bought it is.
Eligible models: iPhone 15 Pro, 15 Pro Max, 16, 16 Plus, 16 Pro, 16 Pro Max and 16e. File at SmartphoneAISettlement.com. A step-by-step walkthrough of both identification routes is at OpenClassActions.org.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I claim in the Apple Siri settlement if I traded in my iPhone?
Yes. The claim belongs to the original purchaser and does not transfer with the phone. You need the serial number, which your Apple Account device list, the retail box, the receipt or a computer backup will still have, or the Apple Account email and phone number used with the phone.
What if I sold the phone to someone else?
You still hold the claim as the original buyer. The person who bought it used from you is excluded from the class. Use the serial number from your records or the Apple Account fallback.
Can a business claim for phones employees no longer have?
Yes. A business files one entity claim with a list of every eligible device’s serial number, or Apple Account email and phone number. Reassigned or retired phones count if the purchase falls between June 10, 2024 and March 29, 2025.
I bought the iPhone for my child. Who files?
The purchaser. A parent who bought the phone files the claim using the serial number on the child’s phone or in the family Apple Account.
How do I find the serial number of a phone I no longer have?
Sign in to your Apple Account on any device or at account.apple.com and open the device list; check the barcode label on the box; check the Apple or carrier receipt; or open a Finder or iTunes backup on a computer.
How much does each phone pay?
$25 per eligible device as the base figure, adjustable up to $95 if few claims are filed or below $25 if many are. Claims close December 21, 2026.
Sources
- Smartphone AI Settlement — official settlement website administered by Verita Global, LLC: long-form notice, online claim form, paper claim forms for individuals and businesses.
- Court-approved long-form notice, Landsheft, et al. v. Apple Inc., No. 5:25-cv-02668-NW (N.D. Cal., San Jose Division): class definition, eligible devices, class period, $250 million Total Settlement Amount, $25 per-device payment and $95 cap, December 21, 2026 deadlines, February 24, 2027 hearing.
- Order granting preliminary approval, July 17, 2026, Hon. Noël Wise.
- OpenClassActions.com — Apple $250M Apple Intelligence Siri Settlement and its May 2026 background report.
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; confirm current status on the official settlement website. You never need to pay anyone to file a claim.