Tim Cook announces major Apple Intelligence update for China

Tim Cook has announced a major update regarding Apple Intelligence launch in China.

As reported by The Paper citing an exclusive interview with Cook on Thursday in Shanghai, Apple’s chairman said Apple Intelligence has been approved in China after years of regulatory delays. Now a test version is expected later in October.

According to Cook, the first batch of features will include writing tools, real-time translation and image cleanup. When it comes to rolling out the AI-powered Siri, he ruled out the possibility of its initial introduction.

Cook’s remarks came after China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology updated its network access records on September 29. The filing confirmed a license renewal for Apple’s first foldable phone, the iPhone Duo and it also added an official filing number for its on-device large language model.

As per reports, filings were made for three large language models including Apple Intelligence and Alibaba’s Qwen.

Chinese regulatory approval for foreign AI features is the primary obstacle for foreign phone makers attempting to protect their market share in China.

Foreign companies must pair with a domestic partner or use locally compliant AI models to receive approval.

The aforementioned filing and Apple Intelligence’s approval are seen as a significant step for the iPhone-maker company advancing in the Chinese market.