iPhone users in China to finally get Apple Intelligence; Here's why it was delayed
Apple Intelligence is finally coming to iPhone users in China after receiving regulatory approval. But why wasn't it available in the country until now?
Published By: Divya | Published: Jul 15, 2026, 08:50 PM (IST) | Edited: Jul 15, 2026, 08:55 PM (IST)
Apple Intelligence has been available in several countries for months now, but one major market has been missing from the list - China. That, however, that is about to change soon. As per a report by Reuters, Apple has received approval from China's Cyberspace Administration (CAC) for Apple Intelligence roll out to iPhones, iPads, Macs and even Vision Pro in the country.
But you must be wondering why Apple put a limit on the roll out of its Apple Intelligence to China, while the rest of the countries enjoyed the AI features. The answer takes you down to the local regulations.
Why Apple Intelligence is banned in China?
The biggest reason is China's strict rules around generative AI. Unlike many other countries, companies cannot simply launch AI-powered services in China. Every large language model and generative AI service must first be approved by the country's internet regulator before it becomes available to the public. As Apple hadn't received that approval, Apple Intelligence remained unavailable even on iPhones purchased in China. In fact, Apple's own support pages had earlier confirmed that the feature wouldn't work on eligible devices sold there. Now that the regulatory approval is in place, Apple can finally move ahead with the rollout.
So, why is China allowing Apple Intelligence now?
This is not about waiting for the approval. Instead, Apple is said to be partnering with Chinese AI firms to meet the local requirements. Reuters reported that Alibaba has confirmed that its Qwen large language model will power Apple Intelligence across iOS, iPadOS, macOS and visionOS in China.
Apart from Alibaba, Baidu is also expected to contribute AI capabilities for certain Apple Intelligence features, although the company has yet to officially announce the partnership.
Due to this, Apple users in China may see a slightly different Apple Intelligence experience compared to users in the markets where Apple Intelligence is already available.
When will the Apple Intelligence roll out in China?
Apple hasn't shared an official release date yet. While regulatory approval is now complete, the company is still expected to announce when Apple Intelligence will start reaching supported devices in mainland China.
But why this is important for Apple? Know that several Chinese smartphone brands have been adding AI features to their devices for the last couple of years, which makes AI as one of the selling point even for Apple. Not only that, China has been one of the biggest markets for Apple and Apple Intelligence has been one of the important part of its latest iPhones.
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