Three Apple iPhone 16 Class Action Lawsuits Claim Deceptive AI Marketing

Tech giant Apple is now facing a total of three class action lawsuits related to its highly publicized “Apple Intelligence” system, following allegations that it falsely advertised the artificial intelligence (AI) features of the iPhone 16. Plaintiffs claim that Apple misled consumers into purchasing the device at premium prices, despite the promised AI functionality, including a revamped Siri, being incomplete or unavailable at launch and months after release.

These Apple iPhone 16 class action cases could mark a significant legal challenge, raising questions about advertising practices, product readiness, and consumer expectations.

Apple Intelligence at the Center of the Dispute

The controversy centers around Apple Intelligence, a suite of AI-based features announced on the company’s website as a major breakthrough during Apple’s 2024 Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC). According to Apple, this proprietary system would deliver features like:

• A more conversational, context-aware Siri
• Tools for summarizing notifications, writing refinement, and media search
• Personal assistant functionality that could understand user data in real time and act across multiple apps

Marketing materials and product pages described the iPhone 16 as “the first iPhone built for Apple Intelligence.” The enhancements were allegedly positioned as core to the phone’s value, and base models were priced at $799 to over $1,000 before add-ons.

However, according to multiple Apple Intelligence lawsuits, these capabilities were unavailable at launch in September 2024 and remain missing or nonfunctional today.

Lawsuits Filed: Apple iPhone 16 Class Action Details

An iPhone 16 AI lawsuit, Varbanovski v. Apple Inc., was filed on April 9, 2025, in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California. The complaint alleges that Apple made “false and misleading representations” regarding the availability of Apple Intelligence. 

This Apple iPhone 16 class action complaint also states that if consumers had known the AI features were unavailable, they would not have purchased the iPhone 16 or would have been unwilling to pay full price. The amount in controversy exceeds $5 million, excluding interest and legal costs.

According to recent developments, an initial case management conference has been set for August 19, 2025, with a case management statement due by August 5. 

Three other Apple false advertising lawsuits have also emerged:

Martin et al v. Apple Inc.

Also filed in the Northern District of California, this case echoes the claims made in Varbanovski v. Apple Inc. Filed shortly after WWDC 2024, it claims Apple “aggressively promoting” revolutionary new AI features that, nearly a year later, “still do not exist.” 

Feldt v. Apple Inc.

Filed on May 5, 2025, in the U.S. District Court for the District of Utah by plaintiff Skyler Mamone Feldt, this case makes similar claims that Apple falsely advertised iPhone 16’s AI-based Siri functionality. The case was later transferred to California and is now part of the broader legal action (Landsheft v. Apple Inc.; docket number: 5:25-CV-02668) in that jurisdiction.

Landsheft v. Apple Inc.

Filed on March 19, 2025, in the Northern District of California, plaintiff Peter Landsheft accused Apple of engaging in widespread public deception, violating consumer protection and false advertising laws. 

These lawsuits collectively represent a growing wave of litigation tied to the Apple AI lawsuit in 2025. While they are being heard within the same California jurisdiction, each remains a separate legal action with distinct plaintiffs and filings.

Apple’s Single Public Statement on the Delay

Apple has issued only one public acknowledgment regarding the delays. On March 7, 2025, a company spokesperson told Apple blogger John Gruber (Daring Fireball):

“We’ve also been working on a more personalized Siri… It’s going to take us longer than we thought to deliver on these features, and we anticipate rolling them out in the coming year.”

Despite this statement, rumors have emerged that the rollout may take significantly longer. Mark Gurman, managing editor of Bloomberg, said that the conversational version of Siri may not be released until iOS 20 in 2027—three years after the launch of the iPhone 16.

Plaintiffs Allege Apple Engaged in Deceptive Marketing

The complaint filed in Varbanovski describes Apple’s conduct as “false advertising” and accuses the company of leveraging Apple Intelligence as a marketing tool while knowing the features were not yet functional. Plaintiffs allege that Apple removed or altered related advertisements after the product launched without disclosing the complete status of the AI capabilities.

From the complaint:

“Apple charged consumers for an iPhone they would not have purchased, or at least not at its premium price, had the advertising not relied on falsehoods and misrepresentations.”

The Apple lawsuit on Siri functionality claims that the phone is “virtually indistinguishable from prior models” and does not include the promised AI-based features.

Summary of the Core Allegations

The combined lawsuits allege:

• They were victims of Apple’s deceptive marketing
• The Apple iPhone 16 has features missing at launch
• There was no clear disclosure that Apple Intelligence was not available and would take years to roll out
• The company violated consumer protection laws and engaged in misleading advertising of the iPhone 16.

iPhone 16 Owners Express Frustration

Consumers who purchased the iPhone 16 based on the company’s advertising say they feel misled.

Some central complaints include:

• iPhone 16 Siri AI not working as advertised
• Lack of enhanced AI features
• Frustration over Apple AI features delayed without transparency
• For many users, the iPhone 16’s problems in 2025 are not just technical but are legal and financial concerns tied to how Apple marketed the device.

What Happens Next?

These cases could help clarify expectations around AI product marketing, especially as tech companies introduce machine learning tools in consumer devices.

The consolidated lawsuits in California mark a growing class action against Apple, with outcomes that could have implications for how AI functionality must be disclosed at the time of sale.

With hearings scheduled and legal filings ongoing, these Apple iPhone 16 class action lawsuits are expected to draw continued scrutiny throughout 2025 and beyond.