Apple Intelligence in China: what iOS 27.3 beta turns on
Updated
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Developers in China can switch it on now
MacRumors reports that select Apple Intelligence features are now available in China, tested through the iOS 27.3 beta. Developers in China can turn on Apple Intelligence after updating to the new software.
The rollout follows a partnership with Alibaba and approval from Chinese regulators, according to the report. Apple Intelligence first launched in the US with iOS 18.1.
What the Qwen integration adds
Several features run on Alibaba's Qwen model: Siri, Writing Tools and Visual Intelligence. With Qwen, Writing Tools can also generate text, and Siri can pass requests to Qwen for more in-depth answers.
The live list includes Live Translation for Messages, FaceTime and the Phone app, plus AirPods 4 with ANC and AirPods Pro 2 and later. There's also Clean Up in Photos, Genmoji, natural language search and memory movies in Photos, and Mail summaries with smart replies and priority emails.
Notifications get summaries, urgent alerts and the Reduce Interruptions Focus mode. Notes summarizes audio recordings, and the Phone app saves call transcripts to Notes. You also get Type to Siri and more natural Siri responses.
What's left out, and when it may widen
The China version does not include Siri AI, the Siri app, or the newer Apple Intelligence features in iOS 27.
MacRumors expects a public beta soon, which would let users in China with a compatible device try the features. The site also expects iOS 27.3 to launch in December.
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