Apple is building a dedicated language model for China, making it the first foreign company allowed to offer its own AI in the country. However, there is still no release date for iPhones in Germany and Austria – and in June, both markets were still on the same list.
Apple has trained a large language model specifically for the Chinese market – in collaboration with Alibaba and with its technical support. This was reported by the Reuters news agency, citing three people familiar with the matter; Apple and Alibaba declined to comment. The move breaks with Apple's previous policy of using third-party models in China and follows approval by Chinese regulators in July.
Key Facts at a Glance
- According to an agency report, Apple has trained its own language model for China, developed in collaboration with Alibaba.
- This would make Apple the first foreign company to be allowed by Beijing to operate its own AI model.
- Apple Intelligence is expected to launch in China in the coming months, following an iOS update.
- Siri AI remains without a release date for iPhone and iPad in the EU – Apple and the EU Commission are blaming each other.
- The DMA does not apply in Switzerland, where Siri AI is also expected on the iPhone.
A proprietary model instead of foreign technology
Apple's plan for China so far has been to integrate the models of local providers. Alibaba was brought on board as a partner in February 2025, and Baidu joined later.
The reason lies in Apple's own architecture. Siri AI is based on a custom-built Gemini model from Google, the foundation of a multi-year partnership that began in January 2026. Currently, the only available external extension is ChatGPT from OpenAI. Neither Google's nor OpenAI's services are available in China. Anyone wanting to deliver AI functionality there needs a different foundation.
Apple is now reportedly developing its own model specifically tailored to the Chinese market. Reuters describes this as a two-pronged strategy that allows Apple to overcome regulatory hurdles that have eluded other US tech giants. The report does not specify the exact role of Apple's own model alongside the Chinese models or how the two will interact.
The source is highly reliable: Reuters cites three independently interviewed individuals and labels the report as exclusive. However, it remains unconfirmed – Apple has not commented, and the launch date is still unknown.
How the approval came about in Beijing
This followed a lengthy approval process that ended in July. The Chinese Cyberspace Authority registered Apple's generative AI service, thus paving the way for Apple Intelligence to be available on Chinese iPhones.
The bumpy nature of the transition was demonstrated last week: Apple published instructions in China on how to connect Alibaba's Qwen with Siri and the writing tools – and withdrew the document less than a day later.
The underlying pressure is economic. In China, Apple competes with manufacturers like Huawei, who have long been delivering AI features. Business has recently been good again – Apple grew by 24 percent there in the second quarter – but this growth is based on price reductions and hardware, not on software features that are not yet available there.
Two closed markets, one opens
This is where the process becomes interesting for German-speaking countries. When Apple explained in June why Siri AI couldn't launch everywhere, the company mentioned two markets in the same breath: the EU because of the Digital Markets Act – and China, as long as Apple was working to meet the regulatory requirements there.
Two months later, one of the two bans was lifted. Apple built a solution for China that met the requirements: a proprietary model, trained in the country and registered with the regulatory authority. To this day, there is no such solution for the EU.
Apple's explanation remains unchanged in the statement on the German newsroom: EU regulators have not accepted any of the submitted proposals, therefore there is no timetable. The Commission sees things differently and rejects this account – in its view, the decision rests solely with Apple. The underlying issue is the same in both accounts: Siri AI has deep access to personal data and controls apps, which is why competing assistants in the EU would also need to be granted the same system access.
At least Mac and Vision Pro are not affected: Siri AI will be available with macOS 27 and visionOS 27 in the EU. The restriction applies only to iPhone and iPad.
| Market | Siri AI was on iPhone and iPad |
|---|---|
| USA | Launch with iOS 27 this fall |
| China | Expected in the coming months, approval has been granted |
| Germany and Austria | No date was given. |
| Switzerland | Start expected, DMA does not apply there |
Switzerland is in a better position. Apple's announcement lists the 27 EU member states individually; Switzerland is neither in the EU nor the EEA and is therefore not included. What matters is where someone lives, not where the device was purchased – an iPhone bought in a Swiss store does not grant access to Siri AI in Germany or Austria.
Regulation is negotiable – the question is, with whom?
Comparing the two markets reveals something that goes beyond the news report. In China, Apple didn't wait for the rules to change; instead, it built a product that complied with the regulations—with considerable effort, a specially trained model, and a local partner. This level of effort hasn't been necessary for the EU so far, where Apple points to rejected proposals.
This allows for two interpretations, and both are plausible. Either the DMA requirement is technically more difficult to fulfill than the Chinese one because it grants third-party assistants system access instead of just controlling content. Or the Chinese market is simply worth the effort for Apple because market share is at stake there, while iPhone sales in Europe remain stable even without Siri AI.
Our assessment: It's both at once, and the second point carries more weight than Apple publicly portrays. It's verifiable that Tim Cook personally sought dialogue with the EU in July – and that nothing has followed up since. A company that trains a complete language model for one market would also have the resources for the other. What's lacking isn't the capability, but the impetus.
What to expect by autumn
For iPhone users in Germany and Austria, nothing will change for the time being. Apple Intelligence will remain available in its current form; Siri AI will be available on Mac and Vision Pro, but not on the iPhone. No release date has been set, and neither side has recently indicated any changes.
The Chinese launch will still be interesting. If Siri AI runs there on a custom-built model and meets local regulations, it will set a precedent: Apple will have proven that the assistant can be adapted for a single market. This is precisely the argument that will likely be heard in Brussels in the future.
Would you prefer a Siri AI adapted to EU regulations, even if Apple had to grant other assistants access to the system – or is a later launch the lesser of two evils? Let us know in the comments where you see the balance. (Image: Apple / Apfelpatient)
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