Apple will not rush to expand the availability of its AI service. Following today’s launch in the U.S., Apple Intelligence will first roll out to other English-speaking regions in December and reach the European Union (EU) by next spring. The service will support local languages and feature an enhanced Siri, along with ChatGPT integration.
Apple has officially confirmed that its AI service will become available to EU users in April 2025, as reported by TechCrunch. Earlier speculation suggested that EU technical regulations, especially the Digital Markets Act (DMA), might delay its release in the region. In a press release, Apple stated, “This spring, Apple Intelligence features will begin to roll out to iPhone and iPad users in the EU. These will include Writing Tools, Genmoji, an improved Siri with enhanced language understanding, ChatGPT integration, and more.”
Current Availability and Gradual Rollout
Apple is already introducing AI features through iOS 18.1, making them available on the latest iPhone, iPad, and Mac models. At the initial unveiling during the WWDC developer conference in June, Apple emphasized that the rollout would be gradual, starting exclusively in U.S. English. Devices must remain set to this language to access the service, and users with an Apple ID linked to a European address currently cannot activate the service on an iPhone.
However, Mac users in Europe can access some of these AI features by switching their system language to U.S. English, provided their Mac runs on an M1 chip or later. This limited access suggests that Apple is aligning with the DMA, which designates the company as a gatekeeper for iOS, iPadOS, the App Store, and Safari. NIX Solutions notes that macOS is exempt from these rules, allowing more flexibility.
Language Support and EU Restrictions
Apple has announced plans to enhance language support soon. By December 2024, a localized English version will be available in Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, South Africa, and the UK. Additionally, by 2025, the service will expand to include twelve more languages, such as French, German, Italian, Portuguese, and Spanish.
According to preliminary information, the only feature that will remain unavailable in the EU is the “Notification Dashboards.” Apple has not provided further details regarding this restriction. We’ll keep you updated as new information becomes available.