Elyse Betters Picaro / ZDNETThink that Apple’s Siri snooped on your private conversations in the past? If so, you may be able to snag a slice of the $95 million that Apple is paying out to settle a class-action lawsuit. But you have to act fast, as the deadline to submit your claim is days away.Also: My favorite iPhone productivity feature just got a major upgrade with iOS 26 (and it’s not Siri)A settlement page recently published in the case of Lopez v. Apple Inc. explains the steps and deadlines for people who want to make a claim. The settlement is geared toward current or former users of a Siri device in the US whose conversations with the voice assistant were captured by Apple or shared with third parties due to an “unintended Siri activation.” How to tell if you qualify If you are in the US and used a Siri-supported device between Sept. 17, 2014, and Dec. 31, 2024, you might be eligible for part of the payout from Apple. In May, a notice approved by the US District Court for the Northern District of California was sent to affected parties. Some ZDNET staffers received it with the subject line “Lopez Voice Assistant Class Action Settlement.” Also: 5 reasons I turn to ChatGPT every day – from faster research to replacing SiriTo learn more about the claim submission process, check out the FAQ section on the settlement page. If you still have questions, you can also contact the settlement administrator by snail mail or by phone.How to enter your claim todayIf you’re in the qualifying group, you should have received a notice email with a Claim Identification Code and a Confirmation Code alerting you to the settlement. The email should have been sent from an account called info@lopezvoiceassistantsettlement.com. If you received such an email, don’t delete it. You may also want to check your spam folder to see if the message is trapped there. Also: 10 easy ways to make Siri work better on your iPhone todayIf you didn’t receive an email or even a postcard, which was also sent to affected parties, you can still try to put together a claim.If you got an email or postcard…If you received a notice, go to the claim submissions page, enter your claim codes from the email or postcard, and log in to proceed. If you didn’t get an email or postcard…If you don’t receive either the email or the postcard, you can enter a new claim at the submission page. You’ll be asked to provide your contact information along with a serial number and model name for the Siri device or proof of purchase. You can add as many as five different devices, including an iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch, AirPods, HomePod, or any other gadget that uses Siri. Also: Every iPhone model that can be updated to iOS 26 (and which ones don’t support it)Either way, you’ll be asked whether you want to receive your payout by direct deposit to your bank account or by electronic check. When is the deadline? Don’t wait too long to file a claim. The deadline is July 2, 2025. You can also opt to do nothing, in which case you simply won’t collect anything.Also: Your iPhone can be used as a digital driver’s license – here’s how it works for these statesFollowing the filing deadline, the court still has to approve the settlement before payouts can begin. A final approval hearing is scheduled for August 1 with US District Judge Jeffrey White in the federal court in Oakland, Calif.. More
