Apple’s reported Apple Intelligence rollout in mainland China was planned for December as part of iOS 27.3, according to Bloomberg’s October 14, 2026, report. Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman attributed the plan to people familiar with the matter.

Bloomberg Television’s English-language segment covers Apple’s reported plan to bring Apple Intelligence to mainland China.

Alibaba approvals were a separate step

Engadget, citing the South China Morning Post, reported that China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology approved Alibaba’s Tongyi Qianwen (Qwen) models and Tongyi Wanxiang image-and-video tool for use with Apple Intelligence. Engadget also reported that Apple had received a separate mainland clearance in July and that the service had not launched there as of October 14, 2026.

Engadget said updated filings included network-access permits for iPhone Duo and iPhone 18 Pro.