Apple Intelligence Plan for China Detailed in New Report
Apple is working to bring its AI features to China as early as May, with Alibaba and Baidu acting as local partners to help the company meet strict state regulations, according to a new Bloomberg report.

Apple is said to have dedicated teams in both China and the US working to adapt its Apple Intelligence platform for the Chinese market, as it navigates the country's complex regulatory system.
Alibaba is Apple's primary partner in the endeavor, with the e-commerce giant reportedly building an on-device system to analyze and modify Apple's AI models for iPhone, iPad, and Mac users in China. The system will include built-in censorship and filtering capabilities to comply with Chinese government requirements. Meanwhile, Baidu will act as a secondary partner, handling features like Visual Intelligence for the upcoming iPhone 16.
The Chinese version of Apple Intelligence will differ significantly from the one featured on US Apple devices. The US version combines on-device features, server-based processing (Private Cloud Compute), and ChatGPT integration. In contrast, the Chinese version will rely heavily on local partnerships. Alibaba's software will basically be an intermediary layer that allows government-directed content filtering without the user knowing it.
The AI features that result from the partnership will only be available on Apple devices sold within China, while devices purchased elsewhere and brought into the country won't have access to the local AI system. Apple has reportedly submitted materials to Chinese authorities for approval, but it still faces some regulatory hurdles before the features can be launched.
The combined effort comes as Apple faces declining sales in China, its largest market outside the US, where local smartphone brands have gained market share partly thanks to their AI offerings.
Popular Stories
The long wait for an Apple Watch Ultra 3 is nearly over, and a handful of new features and changes have been rumored for the device.
Below, we recap what to expect from the Apple Watch Ultra 3:Satellite connectivity for sending and receiving text messages when Wi-Fi and cellular coverage is unavailable
5G support, up from LTE on the Apple Watch Ultra 2
Likely a wide-angle OLED display that ...
Apple previously announced that a public beta of iOS 26 would be available in July, and now a more specific timeframe has surfaced.
Bloomberg's Mark Gurman today said that Apple's public betas should be released on or around Wednesday, July 23. In other words, expect the public betas of iOS 26, iPadOS 26, macOS 26, and more to be available at some point next week.
Apple will be releasing...
We may finally have a definitive list of all color options for the iPhone 17 series, ahead of the devices launching in September.
MacRumors concept
In a report for Macworld today, Filipe Espósito said he obtained an "internal document" that allegedly reveals all of the color options for the upcoming iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Air, iPhone 17 Pro, and iPhone 17 Pro Max models.
The report includes ...
Apple's next-generation iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max are only two months away, and there are plenty of rumors about the devices.
Below, we recap key changes rumored for the iPhone 17 Pro models.
Latest Rumors
These rumors surfaced in June and July:A redesigned Dynamic Island: It has been rumored that all iPhone 17 models will have a redesigned Dynamic Island interface — it might ...
A new Apple TV is expected to be released later this year, and a handful of new features and changes have been rumored for the device.
Below, we recap what to expect from the next Apple TV, according to rumors.
Rumors
Faster Wi-Fi Support
The next Apple TV will be equipped with Apple's own combined Wi-Fi and Bluetooth chip, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. He said the chip supports ...
Apple today said its store at the Westfield Hornsby shopping mall, in Hornsby, Australia, will be permanently closing in October.
Apple Hornsby
In a statement shared with Australian tech news website EFTM (via Reddit), Apple said that it has decided not to renew its lease at Westfield Hornsby. Apple said all affected retail employees will be given the opportunity to work at Apple's nearby...
Apple will launch its new iPhone 17 series in two months, and the iPhone 17 Pro models are expected to get a new design for the rear casing and the camera area. But more significant changes to the lineup are not expected until next year, when the iPhone 18 models arrive.
If you're thinking of trading in your iPhone for this year's latest, consider the following features rumored to be coming...