Apple Intelligence Finally Arrives in China After 22-Month Regulatory Battle

Apple is preparing to launch Apple Intelligence in mainland China in December following regulatory approval from Beijing's Cyberspace Administration, ending nearly two years of delays in one of the company's most important markets. The artificial intelligence features, which first appeared on U.S. iPhones in 2024, will roll out through an iOS 27.3 update integrated with locally-developed AI models from Alibaba and Baidu due to Chinese regulatory requirements that prevent Apple from deploying its own AI technology domestically.