Apple Intelligence secures China approval after 2-year wait

Apple's AI platform received regulatory clearance from China's Cyberspace Administration on July 15, ending a two-year wait and unlocking access to the company's third-largest market.

China's Cyberspace Administration approved Apple Intelligence on July 15, listing the AI platform among seven newly registered on-device generative AI services and ending a roughly two-year regulatory wait.

The approval was announced by the Cyberspace Administration of China and separately by the Shanghai Cyberspace Administration, which said it had added two new generative AI services as of July 15, bringing the city's total to 171 completed registrations under the Generative AI Service Management regulations.

Apple Intelligence will be available on devices running iOS 27, macOS 27 Golden Gate, iPadOS 27, watchOS 27, tvOS 27 and visionOS 27 — all of which entered public beta this week. Full access to all Siri AI features requires the latest hardware: the iPhone 17 Pro, iPhone 17 Pro Max or iPhone Air; iPads with an M4 chip and at least 12GB of RAM; and Macs with an M3 chip or newer and 12GB of RAM, according to Apple's published specifications. Older compatible devices including the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 16 series will support Apple Intelligence with a reduced feature set.

The regulatory green light removes a major overhang for Apple in China, where domestic rivals such as Huawei and Xiaomi have already deployed generative AI in their devices. Apple opened a Siri AI waitlist alongside the public beta releases, with approval typically taking five to 10 days, though some developer program members received access within 24 hours.

Competitive landscape

Apple's AI approval in China levels the playing field against domestic competitors that have already integrated generative AI into their devices. Huawei's HarmonyOS includes AI features powered by its Pangu model, while Xiaomi and Oppo have partnered with Chinese AI companies including Baidu's Ernie Bot and Alibaba's Tongyi Qianwen. Apple Intelligence's arrival gives the company a native AI offering that works across its ecosystem — a feature increasingly central to smartphone purchasing decisions in China.

Upgrade cycle catalyst

The approval opens a potential upgrade cycle in China, where many iPhone users hold older devices that lack the hardware needed for Apple Intelligence. The iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max are the oldest models that support the AI features, meaning users with iPhone 14 or earlier devices would need to upgrade. With the iPhone 17 lineup expected in September — including the Pro models that support full Siri AI features — the timing aligns for a significant refresh cycle.

This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute investment advice.