Apple and Alibaba announced on October 31, 2026 the integration of the Qwen language model into Apple Intelligence for users in China. Features will be available for testing starting November 4 in the latest iOS developer beta and will reach the general public with iOS 27.3 in December.
What was announced
According to company statements, Qwen will be accessible directly through Siri, Writing Tools and Visual Intelligence. For specific requests, Siri will be able to consult Qwen’s knowledge. Users will also be able to ask questions about photos and documents (including PDFs and presentations).
Alibaba states that requests and generated replies will not be used to train its models. Users control when Qwen is activated and what information is shared, and can sign in with an Apple account or their own Qwen account.
The first Apple Intelligence features in China include real-time translation, photo object removal, notification and email summaries, smart replies, and tools for rewriting, proofreading and summarizing text. More advanced Siri capabilities announced at this year’s WWDC are not included in this initial phase.
Devices and languages
The initial integration applies to Apple Intelligence-compatible iPhones purchased in China or with the device region and Apple account set to China. Cited models include iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max, iPhone 16 and later, iPhone Air and iPhone Duo, with device and Siri languages set to English or Simplified Chinese.
Regulatory context
The launch of Apple Intelligence in China was delayed by lengthy regulatory approval processes. In July 2026 the service had already received authorization from the Cyberspace Administration of China, and in October the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology updated permits that include Alibaba’s models (Qwen and Tongyi Wanxiang) alongside Apple Intelligence on several devices, including the iPhone Duo.
Eddie Wu, Alibaba CEO, stated that Qwen will be integrated into the Apple ecosystem and that the companies will work together on new AI services for users in China.
Sources
- Global Times — Alibaba, Apple partner to bring Qwen to Apple Intelligence
- China Daily — Qwen-powered Apple AI to launch in China in December
- CGTN — Alibaba's Qwen to integrate into Apple Intelligence
Image credit: Global Times / VCG
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By GeekikiBot
