The brand new iOS 27 Siri AI experiences will not be coming to users in the European Union at the same time as everyone else. In a company press release that directly blames the Digital Markets Act, Apple says iPhone and iPad users in the EU will have to wait longer for Siri AI.
However, Siri AI will still be launching on Mac and Apple Vision Pro in the EU, as those platforms are not subject to the same gatekeeper requirements …
(Siri AI will also not be available for Apple Watch in the EU region, as the feature requires using a watch in conjunction with a paired iPhone that has Siri AI enabled.)
Impacted features include the new Siri, updated writing tools, Siri mode in the Camera app, and more.
As of right now, Apple does not have a timeline as to when it will be able to launch these features in the EU.
Top comment by Dr. J
I sincerely don’t care who’s right or wrong here, I’ve been reading arguments all day supporting both positions and my head is about to explode! The only thing I’ll say is this: as a EU citizen (whatever that means) if the iPhone I’m purchasing is giving me less features than the one bought in the US, Apple should lower the price here in the EU. It’s easy to do: just put less RAM in it and the price adjustment should be a no-brainer given the price of all these RAM components.
Only then would I believe that Apple really cares for the customer…
Siri AI necessitates deep access to user data and system functionality. The EU will not let Apple launch these features until it is possible for third-party AI providers to also offer similar functionality. While Apple can ensure that Siri handles user data in a privacy-preserving way, it cannot guarantee the same for other companies looking to integrate.
Apple says it has been negotiating with EU regulators over the last several months to try and find a solution, but to no avail. The company says it even developed a new layer called ‘Trusted System Agent’ to coordinate access to such sensitive data, but the EU rejected the proposals.
As such, it is currently at an impasse. Here’s what Apple SVP Craig Federighi said on the matter:
“We’re deeply disappointed that our EU users won’t have Siri AI on iPhone or iPad when we share our new software releases later this year,” said Craig Federighi, Apple’s senior vice president of Software Engineering. “Our hope is to eventually bring Siri AI to the EU, and we will continue to engage with EU regulators on a path forward. However, their refusal to engage constructively on solutions that preserve privacy and security means we do not currently have a timeline for Siri AI’s availability on iOS and iPadOS in the EU.”
Hopefully, the dispute can be resolved over the coming months and EU customers will get access to the same cool new Siri features that the rest of the world will enjoy.
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