The details
The first batch covers older features: notification summaries, real-time translation, rewriting and proofreading tools, visual intelligence, and removing objects from photos. Apple says it worked with Alibaba to support its Qwen chatbot in some experiences, which The Verge likens to the ChatGPT integration iOS gained in 2024. Apple Intelligence was approved in China in July, and Reuters reported in August that Apple had trained a language model specifically for the country. The Verge’s account draws on a MacRumors report about Apple’s announcement.
Why it matters
Apple’s AI in China will differ from what users get elsewhere, with a local model and a local chatbot partner. That split could make features harder to keep in step across markets. The open question is the new Siri, which this launch leaves out; the report gives no date for it.