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More than two years after its launch in the US, Apple Intelligence is coming to China. Apple has now confirmed the roadmap: beta starting November 4th, launch in December with iOS 27.3. However, the most important piece is missing.
Apple announced the plans in a notice on its Chinese newsroom on October 31. According to the notice, the first features of Apple Intelligence will be available for testing starting November 4 with the latest developer beta of iOS. They will be released to Chinese users in December with iOS 27.3.
This confirms what was reported in mid-October: a December launch in China without Siri AI. At the same time, the release date for the first beta of iOS 27.3 is now confirmed. Previously, the release date of iOS 27.3 could only be deduced from the beta release intervals of earlier versions.
Key Facts at a Glance
- Apple Intelligence will be available for testing in China via developer beta starting November 4th and will be released in December with iOS 27.3.
- Siri AI and the other new features from WWDC 2026 are not included.
- For some features, Apple collaborates with Alibaba, whose Qwen model is used in Siri, the writing tools, and the visual intelligence.
- Requirements include a supported iPhone (iPhone 15 Pro or later) and English or Simplified Chinese as the device and Siri language.
What's included at the start
The list is significantly longer than initial reports suggested. Apple cites features such as live translation in Messages, FaceTime, and the Phone app, as well as during direct conversations with AirPods; writing tools; visual intelligence; "Clean Up" and natural language search in the Photos app; and Genmoji. Additional features include Flash Movies in the Photos app, summaries for emails, messages, audio transcripts in the Notes app and phone calls, prioritized messages in Mail and prioritized notifications, smart replies, and the "Reduce Interruptions" focus.
Siri is also getting new features: The assistant can now be used via text input, understands even awkwardly worded requests according to Apple, and retains the context of the conversation. For certain queries, Siri accesses Qwen and can therefore also answer questions about photos and documents such as PDFs or presentations. Users can log in with a Qwen account or via "Sign in with Apple" to access this feature.
Alibaba yes, Baidu not mentioned
In its announcement, Apple names Alibaba exclusively as a partner. According to Apple, Qwen is integrated into Siri, the writing tools, and the visual intelligence, and additionally generates its own texts from scratch within the writing tools.
In July, Reuters reported that a Baidu model would be used alongside Qwen; in mid-October, it was stated that Baidu was working on search and Siri. Baidu is not mentioned in Apple's announcement. Whether Baidu is behind individual features without being named, or is not involved at all, cannot be determined from the text.
Which devices and languages are needed
According to Apple, the iPhone 16 series and newer models, the iPhone Duo, the iPhone 15 Pro and 15 Pro Max, and the iPhone Air are supported. For live translation with AirPods, you need AirPods 5, AirPods 4 with active noise cancellation, AirPods Pro 2 or newer, or AirPods Max 2, each with the latest firmware.
The device and Siri must be set to English or Simplified Chinese. Apple hasn't given a date for other platforms: they will follow as soon as the necessary approvals are granted. Alibaba had mentioned iOS, iPadOS, macOS, and visionOS this summer.
A few days later than announced
In an interview with The Paper in Shanghai on October 15th, Tim Cook had indicated a beta launch was planned for the end of October, with live translation, writing tools, and a "cleanup" function as initial features. The launch has now been pushed back a few days to November 4th, but the feature set is more extensive than originally announced.
The announcement comes from Apple's Chinese newsroom and doesn't specify a time zone. Beijing is seven hours ahead of Germany and 16 hours ahead of California on the beta release date. Therefore, I expect the iOS 27.3 beta to be released here on the evening of November 3rd.
What the China launch means for iOS 27.3
For users in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland, the announcement primarily clarifies the iOS 27 timeline. Apple has committed to a December release for iOS 27.3 for the first time, though a specific date is still missing. I see the Chinese launch as a firm anchor for the update, which Apple can hardly postpone without contradicting its own announcement.
I believe the absence of Siri AI is the real crux of the matter. Apple is introducing features in China that have been available elsewhere for about two years, while omitting the new assistant. While iPhone buyers in China will certainly get a significantly better system, they won't get the one Apple has been advertising since the summer.
Would you actively use Apple Intelligence without Siri AI – or are writing tools and summaries the more useful features for you anyway? Let us know in the comments which ones you actually use in everyday life.
