Apple Intelligence gets green light for China launch

Apple Intelligence finally clears China’s regulators

Apple Intelligence has been approved by Chinese authorities, paving the way for the system to ship on iPhones and other Apple devices in China for the first time.

According to Reuters, China’s Cyberspace Administration registered Apple’s on-device generative AI service this week, adding it to a list of newly cleared providers that also includes systems from Chinese phone makers.

Baidu and Alibaba models under the hood

Reuters cites an unnamed source saying Apple’s features in China will rely on models from both Baidu and Alibaba. Back in February 2025, Alibaba was reported to be building the primary system, with Baidu contributing on a smaller scale.

Alibaba has now publicly confirmed the collaboration, telling Reuters that its Qwen model will power Apple Intelligence functions for Chinese users across iOS, iPadOS, macOS, and visionOS, supporting both text and image generation.

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Launch timing likely tied to fall OS releases

Apple has not given a launch date for Apple Intelligence in China. Reuters notes that regulatory approval typically comes only a few months ahead of rollout, suggesting a debut roughly in line with Apple’s usual fall software release cycle.

Apple briefly switched the features on early for some Chinese users in March, months before receiving formal approval. A feedback form aimed at Chinese users also appeared on Apple’s site late last year, signaling the company was edging toward clearance.

Boost for iPhone momentum in a shrinking market

The approval lands as Apple is gaining ground in a difficult smartphone market. iPhone shipments in China climbed 24.4 percent year-over-year in the second quarter, making Apple the fastest-growing smartphone brand in a market that otherwise continued to shrink.

A fully operational Apple Intelligence stack could help sustain that momentum. Apple is still chasing domestic rivals that built AI features into their phones much earlier, but regulatory clearance removes a key barrier to competing more directly on software.

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