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Apple Intelligence Is Coming to China in December, Powered by Alibaba’s Qwen
Apple has confirmed that Apple Intelligence, its set of AI features for iPhone, will finally launch in mainland China, more than a year after it arrived in other countries.
The timeline
- November 4: the first iOS 27.3 developer beta with Apple Intelligence features becomes available in China.
- December: public release with iOS 27.3 (Apple has not given an exact date).
Which features are coming
The first phase is for iPhone 15 Pro and newer and includes:
- Writing Tools
- Genmoji
- Clean Up for photos
- Notification Summaries and Priority Notifications
- Visual Intelligence
- Live Translation with AirPods
Not included yet: the AI-powered Siri features Apple announced at WWDC 2026, and Image Playground. To use the new features, both the iPhone language and the Siri language must be set to Chinese (Simplified) or English.
Alibaba’s Qwen inside Apple’s AI
Because foreign AI services face strict rules in China, Apple is working with Alibaba. Alibaba’s Qwen AI will be supported within Siri, Writing Tools and Visual Intelligence. China’s internet regulator added Apple’s generative AI suite to its approved list in July, and Alibaba has said Qwen will be integrated into Apple Intelligence experiences.
iPhone first, other devices later
Apple Intelligence will not be available on Mac, iPad or other Apple devices in China until Apple receives the necessary approvals.
Why it matters
China is one of Apple’s largest markets, and the lack of AI features has been a disadvantage against local phone makers that already ship their own AI assistants. Bringing Apple Intelligence to Chinese users, with a local AI partner, is an important step for Apple’s business there and shows how global AI products are adapting to local rules.
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