Lifestyle
Apple Intelligence Is Coming to China With iOS 27.3: Which AI Features iPhone Users Get, and What's Missing
The Verge reports that Apple will bring some Apple Intelligence features to China via iOS 27.3, with a beta expected November 4 and the full release scheduled for December. Chinese iPhone users get these AI tools for the first time, but the new Siri AI is not included.
About 3 min read
What happened
The Verge reports that Apple will bring Apple Intelligence to China through iOS 27.3. Apple Intelligence is a set of AI features built into the system software of iPhones and other Apple devices. The Verge says this comes from an announcement on Apple's China newsroom website, citing a MacRumors report.
On timing, The Verge says the features will first appear in the iOS 27.3 beta (a pre-release version for early testing) expected on November 4, with the full iOS 27.3 scheduled for release in December.
What's included and what's missing
According to The Verge, this rollout does not include the new Siri AI. Instead it brings earlier Apple Intelligence features, including notification summaries, live translation, rewriting and proofreading tools, visual intelligence, and removing objects from photos.
| Item | What The Verge reports |
|---|---|
| Notification summaries | Included in the China version |
| Live translation | Included in the China version |
| Rewriting and proofreading tools | Included in the China version |
| Visual intelligence | Included in the China version |
| Removing objects from photos | Included in the China version |
| New Siri AI | Not included in this rollout |
The Qwen partnership and background
The Verge reports that Apple says it has worked with Alibaba to add support for its Qwen chatbot in some experiences. The Verge says this sounds similar to the OpenAI ChatGPT integration iOS introduced in 2024.
The Verge also notes that Apple Intelligence was approved in China in July, and that Reuters reported in August that Apple had trained its own large language model (an AI model trained on large amounts of text that can understand and generate text) specifically for China.
What it means for ordinary users
For iPhone users in China, some built-in AI tools, such as summaries, translation and writing assistance, are expected to arrive with the system update. However, according to The Verge, the new Siri AI is not part of it for now, so the feature set remains limited.
Frequently asked questions
When is Apple Intelligence launching in China?
According to The Verge, the features will first appear in the iOS 27.3 beta expected on November 4, with the full iOS 27.3 scheduled for December.
Will the China version include the new Siri AI?
The Verge reports that this rollout does not include the new Siri AI.
Which features are included?
According to The Verge, notification summaries, live translation, rewriting and proofreading tools, visual intelligence, and removing objects from photos.
What role does Qwen play?
Qwen is Alibaba's chatbot. The Verge reports Apple says it has worked with Alibaba to add Qwen support in some experiences; the report does not say which ones.
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