Apple’s First AI Features Reach China in December, After a Two-Year Wait
Apple plans to launch Apple Intelligence in mainland China in December with the iOS 27.3 update, two years after its US debut, excluding the rebuilt Siri AI. Siri AI is also absent in the EU, with no indication of when approval might come.
According to Bloomberg, the launch includes features like Genmoji, notification summaries, writing tools, and object removal from photos, despite initial issues with these functionalities. However, this year’s planned updates, such as the rebuilt Siri, photo expansion, upgraded Genmoji, and visual intelligence in the camera, will not be included.
Apple made concessions to gain approval from China, training its own model with Alibaba’s help, becoming the first foreign company to offer a proprietary AI model on the mainland. The government approved ongoing updates through a filter system, with Alibaba involved. Image generation, including Apple’s Image Playground, will be restricted in China due to regulations.
The approval process was slow, with the Cyberspace Administration logging the service in July, and permits for recent iPhones arriving in September. Interestingly, Apple Intelligence briefly appeared in mainland China settings in March, before official approval, and was subsequently removed.
While China negotiated terms and secured a date, Europe faces a different challenge. Most features cleared on schedule in September, but Siri AI remains unavailable on iPhones, iPads, and Apple Watches in the EU. There’s no clarity on when Apple might receive approval for a local release.