Apple has secured approval to launch Apple Intelligence in China, according to Tim Cook. In an interview cited by Chinese state media and reported by Reuters, the Apple CEO said a test version of the service will arrive in late October.
The news ends a long wait for one of Apple's biggest markets. Apple Intelligence was first announced in 2024 alongside iOS 18, but regulatory hurdles kept it out of China and the EU. A broader rollout is now expected with iOS 27.3 in December, per Bloomberg, though the October release will serve as an early test.
Apple Intelligence China: Alibaba Deal and Missing Features
To power Apple Intelligence in China, Apple has reportedly struck a deal with Alibaba. According to GSMArena, the arrangement will use two Alibaba AI models: Qwen, a general-purpose model expected to handle most features, and Tongyi Wanxiang, an image and video generation model for editing tasks.
The Chinese version will not be identical to what users get in the US. Local regulations mean some capabilities will be restricted or absent. Siri AI, in particular, will reportedly not be part of the iOS 27.3 release, and text generation will be limited inside certain apps. Apple's Image Playground feature is also not expected to launch in China due to local laws.
- Approval confirmed by Tim Cook in a state media interview
- Late October: test version of Apple Intelligence in China
- December: expected full rollout with iOS 27.3
- Alibaba's Qwen and Tongyi Wanxiang models to power features
