Apple’s biggest Siri upgrade in years won’t be available everywhere when it launches later this year.
The company has confirmed that its new Siri AI experience will not be available on iPhone and iPad in the European Union when iOS 27 and iPadOS 27 arrive in beta. In addition, Apple also says the features won’t launch in China. This will continue while it works through local regulatory requirements.
That means users in affected regions will miss out on a range of new AI-powered tools Apple unveiled at WWDC 2026. These include the redesigned Siri experience, expanded Visual Intelligence features, integrated writing tools, a dedicated Siri AI app and new camera-based assistance features.
For many Apple users, that’s likely to be a frustrating development given how heavily the company focused on Siri AI during its keynote. Apple is positioning the new assistant as a much more capable and conversational version of Siri. Additionally, it is designed with the ability to work across apps and handle more complex requests.
According to Apple, the delay comes down to regulatory concerns in the EU. The company says it proposed several solutions that would allow Siri AI to launch while meeting requirements under the Digital Markets Act. However, it claims regulators did not approve any of them.
Apple argues that some interpretations of the rules could require AI systems to access sensitive information across a device in ways that create privacy and security risks. As part of its proposal, the company developed what it calls a Trusted System Agent. This is designed to give virtual assistants access to key features while maintaining user protections.
For now, however, there is no timeline for when Siri AI will arrive on iPhone and iPad in the EU.
Interestingly, the restrictions don’t apply across Apple’s entire ecosystem. The company says Siri AI will still be available in the EU on macOS 27, watchOS 27 and visionOS 27. The limitations will also affect developers. They won’t be able to test or integrate the new Siri AI features into iPhone and iPad apps while the restrictions remain in place.
Apple says it will continue working with regulators. However, for now some of its most anticipated AI features will remain out of reach for millions of users.
