Apple recently released its new technology, Apple Intelligence, at the WWDC 2024 event. The company announced that the technology will first be available in US English. More languages will be added over the following year.
However, people in China and the European Union won’t be able to use the AI features immediately. Apple is currently working with officials in these regions to make the technology available there in the future.
On Thursday, during a call with investors, Apple CEO Tim Cook was asked about the availability of Apple Intelligence in markets such as China and the EU. Cook didn’t share many specifics but mentioned that Apple is working with regulators to make AI features accessible to everyone.
He stated that the company aims to understand all regulatory requirements before announcing a timeline for the availability of Apple Intelligence in these regions.
“We’re engaged, as you would guess, with both regulatory bodies that you mentioned. And our objective is to move as fast as we can, obviously, because our objective is always to get features out there for everyone,” Cook said. “We have to understand the regulatory requirements before we can commit to doing that and commit a schedule to doing that, but we’re very constructively engaged with both.”
#iOS 18.1 has begun rolling out. Users have to join a waitlist and wait for a notification on their phone before trying #Apple Intelligence.
Updates include the new Siri animation but the old Siri responses. pic.twitter.com/leGSu0sfjL
— Jeff with a G (@mrjeffwithag) July 29, 2024
In a statement, Apple explained that the AI features are blocked in the EU due to “privacy and security concerns.” It seems Apple is worried that European laws might force changes to how Apple Intelligence operates, according to 9to5Mac.
In China, the issue is different. Chinese laws require that data be processed on local servers within the country rather than being sent to servers in other countries.
Free Apple Intelligence features for iOS 18 and macOS 15
Apple Intelligence offers users new tools to improve their writing and communication. The new systemwide Writing Tools allow users to rewrite, proofread, and summarize text across various applications. These include Mail, Notes, Pages, and even third-party apps, according to a press release by Apple.
During the call, Tim Cook emphasized that Apple Intelligence will launch this fall in US English. He mentioned that more functionalities, features, and languages will be added throughout the following year.
When asked about the timing of these updates, Cook did not clarify if they would be included in a new version of iOS 18 in the first half of the year or in iOS 19 in the fall of 2025.
The Apple Intelligence features will come free with the iOS 18 and macOS 15 updates. However, they will only work on the latest Apple devices, including M1 or later iPads and Macs, and the iPhone 15 Pro.
