Why Apple’s biggest AI upgrade is skipping Europe and China for now

Apple’s long-awaited AI-powered Siri, unveiled as one of the headline features of iOS 27, will not be arriving in the European Union when the software launches later this year. The delay has triggered a public disagreement between Apple and European regulators, with each side offering sharply different explanations for why the feature remains unavailable in the region.

A day after Apple announced that the upgraded Siri experience would be excluded from the EU, the European Commission pushed back against the company’s claims, insisting that the decision rests entirely with Apple. The response marks the latest chapter in an increasingly tense relationship between Big Tech companies and European regulators over competition, privacy, and platform access.

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EU says Apple sought an exemption instead of compliance

According to the European Commission, Apple failed to develop interoperability measures that would satisfy the bloc’s privacy and security requirements under the Digital Markets Act (DMA). Commission spokesperson Thomas Regnier said Apple requested to be exempted from its obligations rather than presenting a solution that met regulatory standards, according to the media reports.

The Commission argues that such an exemption was never an option. Regulators maintain that the DMA requires designated gatekeepers to ensure fair access and interoperability while preserving user privacy and security. From the Commission’s perspective, Apple’s inability to meet those requirements is the primary reason the AI-powered Siri rollout has been delayed in Europe.

Apple, however, has painted a very different picture. During the company’s developer announcements, senior executives expressed frustration with what they described as a lack of constructive engagement from European authorities. Apple said regulators rejected multiple proposals designed to enable third-party AI assistants to access certain device functions securely.

Among the concepts discussed by Apple was a system known as “Trusted System Agent”, which the company said would have allowed competing virtual assistants to operate with access levels similar to Siri while maintaining strong safeguards. Apple has argued that current DMA requirements could force it to grant external AI systems broad access to device capabilities, raising concerns about security and user privacy.

The disagreement has effectively delayed one of Apple’s most anticipated AI upgrades for millions of European users. As a result, customers in the EU will not receive the new Siri experience or several associated AI features when iOS 27 and related software updates are released later this year.

China remains on the waiting list for Apple Intelligence

Europe is not the only major market missing out on Apple’s latest AI ambitions. Apple has also confirmed that the upgraded Siri experience and other new Apple Intelligence capabilities will not launch in mainland China for now.

The company says it is continuing to navigate local regulatory requirements before introducing the technology in the country. The delay reflects the broader challenges foreign technology firms face in China, where AI services must comply with strict approval processes and regulatory oversight.

Unlike many international markets where Apple works with partners such as OpenAI and Google to support certain AI features, China’s regulations have pushed the company towards local partnerships. Apple has been working with Chinese technology firms including Baidu and Alibaba as it seeks a pathway for introducing Apple Intelligence services in the market.

While mainland Chinese users remain in limbo, Hong Kong could receive access sooner. The region already supports Gemini and some existing Apple Intelligence capabilities, making it a likely candidate for earlier availability when iOS 27 beta releases begin later this year.

For now, two of Apple’s most strategically important markets remain without access to its next-generation AI assistant, highlighting how regulatory hurdles have become one of the biggest obstacles to the global expansion of consumer AI.