Apple is being sued in a U.S. District Court in San Jose over allegations of deceptive advertising regarding the launch of Apple Intelligence and Siri’s enhanced capabilities.
Reports indicate that the lawsuit seeks class-action status and financial compensation for consumers who purchased iPhones based on Apple’s artificial intelligence claims.
The complaint asserts that Apple’s marketing misled customers into believing that specific AI features would be available from the outset. However, many of these promised capabilities were either absent or significantly restricted.
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“Contrary to Apple’s claims of advanced AI functionality, the devices provided a version of Apple Intelligence that was either highly limited or entirely nonexistent, thereby misrepresenting their actual capabilities. Even more concerning, Apple marketed these devices based on exaggerated AI features, leading consumers to buy products under false pretences,” the lawsuit states.
At the launch of the iPhone 16 series, Apple Intelligence was not immediately available, with the company instead rolling it out gradually through the iOS 18.1 update in October.
The AI-powered features remain restricted to specific regions, though Apple has announced plans to expand availability, including a rollout in India next month.
Bloomberg has also reported that Apple is encountering setbacks in developing an AI-driven version of its digital assistant, Siri.
The anticipated Siri enhancements, which include personalized responses and in-app controls, were initially expected with the iOS 18.4 update in April. However, their release has now been pushed to “sometime next year.”
Internal testing has reportedly revealed persistent bugs in the new Siri features, forcing Apple to consider a complete overhaul of Siri’s AI framework, which could delay its release until 2026.
In response to these delays, Apple has made changes in its leadership. Mike Rockwell, vice president of the Vision Products Group, has been assigned to oversee Siri’s development.
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According to Bloomberg, Tim Cook, Apple’s CEO has lost confidence in Apple’s AI chief, John Giannandrea, regarding his ability to deliver on product development. Additionally, Paul Meade, previously responsible for hardware engineering for the Vision Pro under Rockwell, is expected to lead the Vision Products Group moving forward.