Apple Intelligence features have started to roll out in preview with the iOS 18.1 developer beta update. As per the Cupertino-based tech giant, these features are first rolling out in the US in English and will be expanded to other regions later. However, the European Union (EU) and China will be two regions where these features are not likely to debut anytime soon. During a quarterly earnings call on Thursday, Apple CEO Tim Cook was reportedly asked about a release timeline, but he did not provide any conclusive response.
Apple Reportedly in Talks With EU and China Regulators
According to a report by 9to5Mac, Cook responded in vague terms when asked about the availability of Apple Intelligence in other regions, mainly China and the EU. He reportedly highlighted that the company was engaged with the regulators from both regions, but will need to understand the requirements before stating a timeline.
“We’re engaged, as you would guess, with both regulatory bodies that you mentioned. And our objective is to move as fast as we can, obviously, because our objective is always to get features out there for everyone. We have to understand the regulatory requirements before we can commit to doing that and commit a schedule to doing that, but we’re very constructively engaged with both,” Cook said.
Apple announced last month that Apple Intelligence features, as well as iPhone Mirroring and SharePlay Screen Sharing enhancements, will not be available in the EU. The company said this was due to regulatory uncertainties arising from the Digital Markets Act (DMA).
“Specifically, we are concerned that the interoperability requirements of the DMA could force us to compromise the integrity of our products in ways that risk user privacy and data security,” Apple had said at the time.
In China, there is a different hurdle. As per a previous report, Apple was looking for a local AI partner in the region as AI models used within the country are required to get approval from the government. Further, any local data processing needs to be done on servers located and operated within the country. These regulations and the lack of an AI partner have likely made it difficult for Apple to introduce its AI features.