Apple said on 31 October that Apple Intelligence will reach users in China with iOS 27.3 in December, after a developer beta opens on 4 November [1]. The same release says Apple has partnered with Alibaba so that Chinese users can call on Alibaba's Qwen model directly in Siri, Writing Tools and Visual Intelligence, for text and image understanding [1]. Alibaba confirmed the partnership the same day, according to CGTN, citing Xinhua [2].
At a glance
| Announced | 31 October 2026, in a Chinese-language Apple newsroom release [1] |
|---|---|
| Where Qwen appears | Siri, Writing Tools and Visual Intelligence [1] |
| Developer beta | From 4 November 2026 [1] |
| Public release | With iOS 27.3 in December 2026; no exact day given [1] |
| Not included | Siri AI and other next-generation features shown at WWDC 2026 [1] |
| Market size | Greater China net sales were $18,816 million in Apple's quarter to 27 June 2026 [5] |
The signal
- Apple's release says Qwen support covers some Apple Intelligence experiences, not all of them [1].
- Users reach Qwen by signing in with a Qwen account or with Sign in with Apple [1][4].
- In Siri, Qwen is called on for certain requests that need wider knowledge; users can also ask about photos and documents such as PDFs [1][3].
- Many listed features, including Live Translation, Clean Up, Genmoji and notification summaries, are Apple features rather than Qwen ones [1][3].
- Supported phones are iPhone 16 and later, iPhone 15 Pro, iPhone 15 Pro Max, iPhone Air and iPhone Duo, with Siri and device language set to English and Simplified Chinese [1][4].
- Alibaba said it will not use user requests or generated responses for model training, CGTN reported [2].
What happened
Apple's China newsroom published the release, titled Apple Intelligence is coming to China, on Saturday 31 October [1]. It lists the first batch of features for Chinese users, among them Live Translation, Writing Tools, Visual Intelligence, the Clean Up photo tool, Genmoji, mail and notification summaries, and Type to Siri [1]. Testing opens with the latest iOS developer beta from 4 November, and the features ship to users in China with iOS 27.3 in December [1][3][4].
The part that changes who answers questions is a single paragraph. Apple says it has reached an agreement with Alibaba to add Qwen support in some Apple Intelligence experiences, so that Chinese users can use Qwen directly inside Siri, Writing Tools and Visual Intelligence [1]. In Writing Tools, Qwen can draft original content from scratch. In Siri, it handles certain requests that call for broader knowledge [1]. People connect by logging in to a Qwen account or through Sign in with Apple [1].
Alibaba described the deal in its own statement, reported by CGTN from Xinhua. It said users can choose whether to turn on the Qwen integration and what information to share, and that Alibaba will not train its models on those requests or replies [2]. CGTN reported that Alibaba Group chief executive Eddie Wu said Qwen will join Apple's ecosystem to deliver new AI service experiences to Chinese users [2].
The rollout has limits. Apple says the update does not include Siri AI or the other next-generation features it announced at WWDC 2026, and support for platforms beyond iPhone will follow only after the necessary approvals [1]. China's cyberspace regulator completed the filing for Apple Intelligence in July, according to CGTN and The Next Web [2][3]. Neither company has published user numbers or financial terms.
By the numbers
Timeline
China's cyberspace authority completes the filing for Apple Intelligence among seven on-device generative AI services, CGTN reports [2][3].
Apple's China newsroom announces the rollout and Qwen support in Siri, Writing Tools and Visual Intelligence [1].
Alibaba announces the partnership, according to CGTN citing Xinhua [2].
Features open for testing in the latest iOS developer beta [1].
Public release to users in China with iOS 27.3 [1].
“Alibaba said it will not use user requests or generated responses for model training.”
How a Chinese iPhone user reaches Qwen
- Step 1Update the phone
Install iOS 27.3 in December, or the developer beta from 4 November [1].
- Step 2Set the language
Set Siri and the device to English and Simplified Chinese on a supported iPhone [1].
- Step 3Sign in
Log in with a Qwen account or with Sign in with Apple [1].
- Step 4Ask
Use Siri, Writing Tools or Visual Intelligence; Qwen handles certain requests [1].
Why it matters
Greater China is not a side market for Apple. It produced $18,816 million of the $109,417 million in net sales Apple booked in the quarter to 27 June 2026, about 17.2% [5]. From December, the iPhones sold there gain an assistant layer in which a Chinese model answers part of the questions [1]. When a procurement manager in Shanghai asks Siri a broad question about a supplier or a product category, the reply for those requests can come from Qwen [1]. What Qwen knows about a vendor, and which sources it trusts, now shapes that answer.
This also makes AI visibility a regional problem rather than a single global one. A B2B brand that has checked how ChatGPT, Gemini or Claude describe it has not checked the model Chinese iPhone users will meet inside Siri, Writing Tools and Visual Intelligence [1][3]. Firms that sell into China, or whose buyers sit in Chinese subsidiaries, need Chinese-language pages, local press coverage and documentation that a Chinese model can find and read.
The Writing Tools change matters for a quieter reason. Qwen can draft content from scratch there [1], so emails, briefs and requests for proposal written on those phones may carry Qwen's framing of a market. Vendors that are absent from what Qwen has read are less likely to be named in that first draft. The scope is still narrow: Siri AI is excluded and other platforms wait for approvals [1], so this is an early signal to prepare for, not a switch that has already flipped.
What to do now
For marketers
- Ask Qwen in Chinese what it says about your company and your top three competitors, and save the answers.
- Make sure your main product, pricing and company pages exist in Simplified Chinese and are open to crawlers.
- List the Chinese media, directories and partner sites that describe your brand, and correct anything out of date.
- Add Qwen to the set of assistants you test each quarter if any revenue comes from China.
For software buyers and IT teams
- Treat a Siri or Qwen answer about a vendor as a starting point, and open the source it relied on.
- Ask vendors for Chinese-language documentation if your team works on iPhones set to China.
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What to watch
- 4 November beta. Developer testing will show how often Siri hands requests to Qwen and how answers cite sources [1].
- The December date. Apple has named iOS 27.3 in December but no exact day [1].
- Other platforms. Apple says Mac, iPad and other support comes only after the necessary approvals [1].
- Siri AI in China. The next-generation Siri features from WWDC 2026 are excluded for now, and The Next Web notes Siri AI still skips mainland China [1][3].
- Data terms. Alibaba's no-training pledge comes from its statement as reported by CGTN; watch for the full privacy terms on Qwen sign-in [2].
Who is affected
Some Siri and Writing Tools answers for their buyers will come from Qwen [1].
Questions readers ask
When is Apple Intelligence coming to China?
With iOS 27.3 in December 2026, Apple says. A developer beta opens on 4 November 2026. Apple has not given an exact December day [1].
Does Siri use Alibaba Qwen in China?
Yes, for certain requests. Apple says Chinese users can use Qwen directly in Siri, Writing Tools and Visual Intelligence, for text and image understanding [1].
Which iPhones get Apple Intelligence in China?
iPhone 16 and later, iPhone 15 Pro, iPhone 15 Pro Max, iPhone Air and iPhone Duo, with Siri and device language set to English and Simplified Chinese [1].
Does Alibaba train Qwen on Apple users' requests?
Alibaba says no. CGTN reported Alibaba's statement that it will not use user requests or generated responses for model training [2].
Is Siri AI available in China?
Not yet. Apple says this update does not include Siri AI or the other next-generation Apple Intelligence features shown at WWDC 2026 [1].
How much of Apple's revenue comes from Greater China?
$18,816 million of $109,417 million in the quarter to 27 June 2026, about 17.2%, according to Apple's quarterly filing [5].
How can a B2B brand appear in Qwen answers?
Start by checking what Qwen says about your brand today. Then publish clear Chinese-language product and company pages that the model can find, read and cite.
Companies in this story
Sources
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