Apple Intelligence Coming to China in December With iOS 27.3 - MacRumors
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Apple Intelligence Coming to China in December With iOS 27.3

Apple plans to bring Apple Intelligence to China in iOS 27.3 after two years of regulatory delays, reports Bloomberg. The launch will include basic ‌Apple Intelligence‌ features for things like photo editing, but Siri AI won't be available. Image Playground and the newer version of Genmoji will be missing, plus text generation tools will be limited.

apple intelligence black
The South China Morning Post today reported that China's Ministry of Industry and Information Technology recently gave Apple network access permits to add Alibaba's Qwen and Tongyi Wanxiang models to the iPhone Duo, iPhone 18 Pro, and earlier iPhones, paving the way for an ‌Apple Intelligence‌ debut.

Apple introduced the first ‌Apple Intelligence‌ features in iOS 18.1, but they have been missing from China since launch. Apple received initial clearance to launch ‌Apple Intelligence‌ in China in July, but needed additional clearance for a consumer launch.

China restricts foreign AI technology, which meant Apple had to partner with Alibaba and Baidu to launch ‌Apple Intelligence‌ in the country. Apple also has to allow the Chinese government to approve ongoing updates to the AI models.

Competing smartphone makers in China like Huawei have long offered artificial intelligence features, and Apple has been at a disadvantage without comparable tools.

iOS 27.3 is expected in December.

Note: This discussion thread is located in our Political News forum with special rules.

Related Roundups: iOS 27, iPadOS 27
Related Forum: iOS 27

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Top Rated Comments

1 week ago
Meanwhile, we're still waiting for Apple to do something intelligent here in the USA, this quarter.
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
1 week ago
So China is apparently easier to deal with than the EU...
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
1 week ago
It would be fascinating to learn about the development of Chinese model: All of the guardrails that have to be in place. All of the government-approved messaging that has to be substituted where applicable. Will Genmoji/Image Playground generate Winnie the Pooh?
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
1 week ago
EUROPE…ZERO !??
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
ChantyBinx Avatar
1 week ago

So China is apparently easier to deal with than the EU...
Yeah, if by easier you mean 'do what we say or bad things happen' that's the CCP culture.


It would be fascinating to learn about the development of Chinese model: All of the guardrails that have to be in place. All of the government-approved messaging that has to be substituted where applicable. Will Genmoji/Image Playground generate Winnie the Pooh?
HAHAHAHA, the insecurity to ban a cartoon character over that. Say what you want about Trump, who looks like a cartoon character, despite the bravado, still isn't so insecure as to ban blonde hair dye and fake tan!!! haha


赞美主
Is that even legal to say in the CCP? Seriously.. a higher power than their dictator?!

Hey Siri, tell me about the forced sterilization of Yughurs.

Siri: I will forward your request to the CCP and the CAC. In the meantime if nice young men in uniforms with rifles happen to knock on your door, please answer and enjoy your pre booked trip!
Just wanting to add this: https://blogs.lse.ac.uk/socialpolicy/2020/10/13/chinas-forced-sterilisation-on-the-uyghur-women-a-gross-violation-of-human-rights/


The photo editing and spelling ones are quite neat!
I bet they've spent a lot of their blood money on custom commands to ensure special photo editing of anything unfavourable to the regime. I wonder if they've got a John Cena Siri voice!!!


A bigger concern is... did Apple actually come up with a completely different version of Apple Intelligence (and iCloud, and...) for China? Or does every instance of Apple Intelligence, for every country, have the same version... but there's just a little toggle that says "Gov spying Y/N"?
They've essentially allowed a government run company (any company in the CCP is one frankly), to handle all of the data storage in data centre terms. Gives the government ownership of peoples data, scanning, etc. It's Apple's 'human rights credits' similar to how other companies buy carbon credits. They feel better at night about it, but frankly they're still facilitating / doing the damage in my book. Until they fix their production / supply chain, their hands are tied though.

I'd just refuse to offer it, but if Apple does that, the power will suddenly go out at some of its factories. Never make a deal with the devil, kids.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
1 week ago
I can’t help but find it kinda funny Apple is happier to compromise their Chinese user’s privacy than potentially losing lock in power

But if you look under the surface you can’t really fault them for that honestly

I wouldn’t want to waste months of engineering time for something nobody’s gonna use
Like when they rushed to add an API for third party music services on HomePod cause Spotify cried about it only for them to never support it.

(Also you literally have no choice in China)
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
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