Apple Sets Nov. 4 for Testing Qwen-Powered AI Features in China
Key Facts
Apple said on Oct. 31 it would add support for Alibaba’s Qwen model to some Apple Intelligence experiences in China, setting Nov. 4 for the start of testing and the release of iOS 27.3 in December for user access. The announcement puts the partnership on a published implementation schedule, after the company had referred to the collaboration in the context of its plans for the Chinese market. Apple said users will be able to access Qwen through Siri, Writing Tools and the Visual Intelligence feature, not through Siri alone. Functions include understanding text and images, as well as using the model to create original text with Writing Tools. The trial will begin in the latest developer beta of iOS. The user-facing launch will officially arrive with the iOS 27.3 update in December.
According to Apple, the first set of features includes Writing Tools that help rewrite, proofread and summarize entered text. Visual Intelligence lets users use the iPhone camera to identify objects and places around them. For specific requests, Siri can draw on Qwen to answer using its knowledge, and users can also ask questions about photos and files containing PDF documents and presentations. The company says access to Qwen within Apple Intelligence will be available by signing in to a Qwen account or using “Sign in with Apple.” The package thus combines text-editing tools with interaction with images and documents, according to Apple’s description. The company did not provide figures in the announcement for the number of users or devices expected to be covered at launch.
The initial launch remains limited to compatible devices and specific language requirements: Apple said both Siri’s language and the device language must be English or Simplified Chinese. The announced device list includes iPhone 16 and later, iPhone Duo, iPhone 15 Pro, iPhone 15 Pro Max and iPhone Air. The company also said the update will not include Siri AI or the other next-generation features it announced at its WWDC 2026 developer conference. That means the December launch will offer a selection of AI functions, excluding some features the company unveiled in June. Apple did not give a date in its announcement for adding those excluded functions to the Chinese version.
The announcement followed a regulatory process that cleared the way for AI services to enter the Chinese market. Reuters reported that China’s cybersecurity regulator registered Apple’s generative AI service in July 2026, paving the way for Apple Intelligence to reach iPhones in China. The South China Morning Post reported that permits from the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology for iPhone Duo, iPhone 18 Pro and several older Apple models list three approved AI systems: Apple Intelligence, Tongyi Qianwen and Tongyi Wanxiang. That places Qwen support within the arrangements for approving systems on devices, alongside Apple’s announced launch plan. Earlier Reuters reports indicated that Qwen would be integrated into compatible iPhone, iPad, Mac and Vision Pro devices in China, with plans to use Baidu technology as well. Reuters also reported that Apple trained a large language model tailored to the Chinese market with Alibaba’s support, shifting from its previous reliance on external models for AI features there.
The move comes as local companies compete to attract phone users with AI features. Alibaba Chairman Joe Tsai said, in remarks reported by Reuters during the World Governments Summit in Dubai, that Apple had spoken to several Chinese companies before choosing Alibaba, adding: “In the end, they chose to work with us. They want to use our AI to power their phones.” Will Wong, an IDC analyst, said competition would not be easy because local rivals are marketing their features aggressively, while analysts linked the partnership’s impact on Apple to how quickly features become available in China. Apple’s annual shipments in China fell 17% in 2024, according to Canalys data cited by Reuters; Vivo had a 17% market share, compared with 16% for Huawei and 15% for Apple. When the partnership was confirmed in February 2025, Alibaba shares listed in Hong Kong jumped as much as 9.2% to 124.3 Hong Kong dollars, before paring gains to close up 2.6%.
The earlier Mac experience shows that Qwen activation began on a narrower scale than the expansion described in reports about Apple’s various devices. In August 2026, Apple published a guide for eligible Mac users in China explaining how to connect Qwen to Siri and Writing Tools, requiring macOS 26.6 or later and sign-in to a Qwen account. Reuters said at the time that the guide covered Mac devices, although Alibaba had discussed integrating the model into iPhone, iPad, Mac and Vision Pro. In its October announcement, Apple said support for other platforms would follow once the necessary approvals were obtained. The Nov. 4 test and December launch remain tied to the announced iPhone features, while the statement sets no timeline for support on other platforms. The announcement therefore sets a near-term date for the first test of the features in China, while leaving their expansion to other devices subject to approvals.