Apple faces lawsuit (X/@TechCrunch)
Apple Intelligence has been behind schedule since day 1. During WWDC 2024, which was in June, Apple announced Apple Intelligence and showed off a few AI-driven features that were expected to be bundled with the iPhone 16 series and other fresh Apple devices. For the most part, the demo was all about the more intelligent and more chatty Siri. Earlier, the Siri update was said to be included in the iOS 18.4 update, but Apple missed the deadline. It shifted it to an unspecified timeline.
Still, the company did not stop running ads for the same for a considerable time. A new lawsuit has been filed against the company for delaying and misleadingly advertising the Apple Intelligence features, feeling cheated. Placed in San Jose's US District Court on Wednesday, the lawsuit calls for class-action status and damages for buyers of iPhones and other devices touted to support Apple Intelligence. The plaintiffs contend that owners of these devices have been deprived of the features promised.
The complaint claims Apple misled consumers by promoting Siri features in ads that did not actually exist. The complaint states that Apple intentionally led people to believe these sophisticated features would be available at the launch of the iPhone, creating massive hype and leading millions to unnecessarily upgrade. Even though Apple subsequently announced that the Siri features would be pushed back to the next year, the company had already been airing the ads for months. It ultimately took them down, but only after continuing to advertise the features knowing they would not be available on schedule.
Apple is now being accused of advertising non-existent functionality. "Apple's ads [created] a definite and rational consumer expectation that these revolutionary features would be present at the iPhone's launch," states the complaint brought by lawyers for the plaintiffs. "In contrast to defendant's boasts of sophisticated AI capabilities, the products provided a substantially limited or completely absent form of Apple Intelligence, deceiving consumers about its true utility and performance," it continues.
Prior to this suit could reach the light of day, news came that CEO Tim Cook is dissatisfied with Siri based on Apple Intelligence's progress. Apple CEO Tim Cook "has lost faith in the potential of AI head John Giannandrea to deliver on product development," Bloomberg reported. In consequence, Mike Rockwell, the vice president of the Vision Products Group and the mastermind of Apple Vision Pro, is now heading the Siri team.
Siri has not been able to keep up with the current sophisticated AI, and Apple has had to integrate third-party AI services, including ChatGPT, into its software in order to keep up with the rapid development of AI and satisfy consumer demands. Earlier reports suggest that the much-awaited Siri update, which was supposed to include a more conversational interface like ChatGPT, has been pushed back and will no longer be released in June as scheduled. Apple's AI unit staff now think that this improved version of Siri will not be coming until at least iOS 20, which will see it released before 2027 at best.
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