Tim Cook confirms Apple Intelligence with Alibaba Qwen is approved in China, beta coming later in October without the new Siri

Why it matters

【Key points】

Speaking to Chinese media in Shanghai on October 15, Apple executive chairman Tim Cook confirmed that Apple Intelligence and the associated Alibaba Qwen models have been approved and that a beta will reach users in China later in October. The first features are Live Translation, Writing Tools and Clean Up; the new Siri AI announced this year is not included. A day earlier, updated MIIT network-access records for the iPhone Duo, iPhone 18 Pro and older models listed three AI systems: Apple Intelligence, Alibaba's Tongyi Qianwen (Qwen) and Tongyi Wanxiang (image and video generation). Bloomberg reports the full release is planned for December with iOS 27.3.

【Verifiable】

Cook remarks (IT Home, citing The Paper and Jiemian): https://www.ithome.com/1/013/478.htm

Wallstreetcn: https://wallstreetcn.com/articles/3783701

MIIT approval (SCMP, Oct 14): https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3370893/china-approves-alibaba-ai-models-use-iphone-duo-and-other-apple-handsets

X: about 550 related posts in 24 hours, peaking near 97 per hour on Oct 14 and rising again after Cook spoke.

Unconfirmed: the December iOS 27.3 date comes from Bloomberg, not Apple.

【Our read】

1. This puts Qwen inside Apple's system-level AI on a huge installed base of iPhones, iPads and Macs in China, a distribution channel no single app can match.

2. Only the two-year-old basic features ship and the new Siri is absent, suggesting model features and agent features clear Chinese review separately.

3. Watch whether the beta actually lands by month end, which devices get it, and whether Qwen runs on-device or in the cloud.