Apple plans to bring its Apple Intelligence tools to mainland China in December through the expected iOS 27.3 update, according to Bloomberg News. The move would end a lengthy regulatory delay and give Apple customers in China access to some of the company’s AI features for the first time.
December iOS 27.3 rollout
The reported release would cover the iPhone, iPad and Mac. It is expected to include features Apple first introduced in the United States about two years ago, including Writing Tools, notification summaries, Genmoji and the Clean Up tool for removing objects from photos.
MacRumors, citing Bloomberg and Chinese regulatory reporting, said the rollout follows permits allowing recent iPhones to use Apple Intelligence and Alibaba’s AI models. Apple has not publicly confirmed the December date or the iOS 27.3 number.
Siri AI stays out
The initial China release would be limited. It would not include Siri AI, Apple’s newer assistant that can understand screen content, use personal context and take actions across apps.
Image Playground, newer Genmoji features and some text-generation tools are also expected to be missing or restricted. Apple’s September announcement said Siri AI and other new Apple Intelligence features were not available in China while the company worked through regulatory requirements.
Alibaba supplies local models
To support the China version, Apple is expected to use Alibaba’s Qwen and Tongyi Wanxiang models. This arrangement would let Apple keep its device and software integration while relying on a locally approved model provider.
The rollout would give Apple a partial AI offering in China, where competing smartphone makers already provide built-in generative AI tools.
References
- Gurman, M. (2026, October 14). Apple prepares to debut first AI features in China in December. Bloomberg Law. https://news.bloomberglaw.com/artificial-intelligence/apple-prepares-to-debut-first-ai-features-in-china-in-december
- Clover, J. (2026, October 14). Apple Intelligence coming to China in December with iOS 27.3. MacRumors. https://www.macrumors.com/2026/10/14/apple-intelligence-china-ios-27-3/
- Apple. (2026, September 14). Siri AI, a profoundly more capable and personal assistant, is here. https://www.apple.com/newsroom/2026/09/siri-ai-a-profoundly-more-capable-and-personal-assistant-is-here/