Apple is seeking to dismiss a U.S. class action lawsuit that accuses the company of misleading customers about delayed Siri upgrades tied to its Apple Intelligence rollout. The case has gained attention because it challenges how Apple markets features that are announced but not immediately available at launch.
The lawsuit, consolidated under Landsheft v. Apple Inc. in the Northern District of California, alleges that Apple’s promotion of Siri’s new capabilities created a false impression that these features would be ready with the iPhone 16. According to MacRumors, the complaint focuses on two delayed Siri functions – personal context awareness and in-app controls. These were highlighted at WWDC 2024 and in Apple’s advertising, including a television spot featuring Bella Ramsey. The plaintiffs argue that customers would have reconsidered their purchase or paid less had they known the functions were postponed until 2026.
Apple has responded by emphasizing that more than 20 Apple Intelligence features were delivered on time. Tools such as Writing Tools, Genmoji, Smart Reply, Image Playground, and Priority Notifications shipped with the launch, alongside the usual hardware improvements including the A18 chip, upgraded cameras, brighter OLED displays, and longer battery life. Apple maintains that the lawsuit overlooks this broader value and inflates the importance of two delayed Siri functions.
The Siri upgrades in question are designed to make the assistant more useful by pulling context from across apps, such as flight details or calendar reservations, and executing multi-step in-app tasks. While these capabilities were demonstrated on stage, Apple later announced they would arrive in phases. In March 2025, the company confirmed the delay, and CEO Tim Cook reiterated in July that development was progressing with a target release in 2026.
Apple argues that its messaging around Apple Intelligence always made it clear that features would roll out gradually through software updates. The company has often introduced new functions in stages via iOS point releases, and it says this rollout strategy is consistent with past practice. iOS 26.4, expected in spring 2026, is now rumored to include the long-awaited Siri upgrades.
The plaintiffs counter that Apple should not have marketed these Siri functions so prominently if they were not part of the immediate experience. They allege that the marketing created expectations that were not met, which they claim constitutes deceptive advertising. If the court allows the case to proceed, Apple could face financial damages or new restrictions on how it advertises future AI-driven features.
For now, Apple’s legal position is that customers still received significant benefits at launch, and that a staggered delivery of Siri functions reflects standard software development rather than misrepresentation. The outcome of the lawsuit could influence how Apple and other tech companies communicate about AI features that are previewed at major events but require more time to ship.
As Apple Intelligence becomes more central to iOS, iPadOS, and macOS, the timing of Siri’s next-generation capabilities will remain under close scrutiny. With iOS 26.4 on the horizon, Apple is betting that the eventual release of context-aware Siri and deeper in-app controls will validate its phased rollout strategy, even as the lawsuit continues to move through the courts.
