Apple Unlocks AI Features Globally Except in the EU and Mainland China

Apple's AI technology, Apple Intelligence, is anticipated to arrive on iPhones, iPads, and Macs later on. However, on iOS, it will only support the iPhone 15 Pro, iPhone 15 Pro Max, and subsequent models. For iPads and Macs, it will be available on all devices equipped with the Apple M chip.

Until now, Apple Intelligence was exclusive to the US market. However, with the release of iOS 18.1, iPadOS 18.1, and macOS 15.1, Apple has removed previous restrictions.

Tests show that users can access Apple Intelligence by setting their device and Siri language to American English, as support for other languages is not yet available. A simple language change allows access to these AI features.

Nevertheless, due to AI support issues, Apple's AI features remain unavailable to users in the European Union and mainland China. In Europe, GDPR regulations temporarily prevent the provision of AI features, though users with a US Apple ID can circumvent this limitation. In mainland China, devices currently cannot access Apple Intelligence, potentially pending future collaborations between Apple and local AI service providers. No partnerships have been disclosed yet.

In the latest beta, Apple introduced an AI-based smart photo cleanup feature for the iPhone, allowing users to select and delete elements within photos—a common feature in photo editing tools, now integrated directly into iOS.

Apple is expected to launch the official version of iOS 18.0 in September, but AI-related features may be postponed to iOS 18.1 or even next spring.