Tens of millions of iPhone owners are expected to get cash if Apple's $95 million settlement on Siri eavesdropping allegations is approved.
For Apple devices owned from Sept. 17, 2014 to the end of 2024, owners could claim $20 per Siri-equipped device for up to five devices, according to a proposed settlement filed in an Oakland, California court on Tuesday, The Wall Street Journal reported.
But only 3% to 5% of eligible owners are expected to file claims, according to court documents.
Apple agreed to pay $95 million to settle allegations that its Siri virtual asssistant snooped on conversation without permission for more than a decade and shared information with advertisers, but admitted no wrongdoing in the proposed settlement.
Lawyers have proposed a Feb. 14 court date to review the settlement terms.
The attorneys who filed the lawsuit may seek up to $29.6 million from the settlement to cover their fees and other expenses.
What caused the Siri lawsuit?
The proposed settlement would cap a five-year old class action lawsuit filed against Apple in the wake of a 2019 investigation by The Guardian.
The Guardian's investigation, citing an anonymous whistleblower, alleged that Apple contractors regularly heard confidential details on Siri recordings.
The alleged eavesdropping stemmed from Siri mistakenly activating from different words than "hey, Siri," The Guardian reported.
Later, Apple gave a rare apology.
"As a result of our review, we realize we haven't been fully living up to our high ideals, and for that we apologize," Apple said in 2019.