Apple’s Siri AI Not Coming to the EU: A Standoff with Antitrust Authorities
BRUSSELS – Apple has announced that it cannot launch Siri AI, its revamped digital assistant, on iPhones, Apple Watches, or iPads within the European Union.
This decision represents the latest confrontation between the tech giant and the EU’s antitrust regulators.
In a statement released on June 8, Apple contended that it proposed a tailored solution for the EU, aimed at aligning Siri AI with the provisions of the Digital Markets Act (DMA).
The proposal emphasized user privacy by restricting access to data for virtual assistants.
However, the European Commission declined to accept any of Apple’s recommendations in recent months, thereby preventing Siri AI from being included in the forthcoming iOS 27 and iPadOS 27 in the EU.
According to a spokesperson for the commission, Apple sought an exemption from the DMA’s interoperability mandates and failed to devise solutions that would permit users to engage with alternative AI agents.
“The decision to withhold Siri AI in the EU rests solely with Apple,” remarked commission spokesman Thomas Regnier during a press briefing on June 9. “There is nothing in the DMA that precludes Apple from launching products in the EU.”
This development underscores Apple’s resistance to the EU’s efforts to regulate the dominant power of Big Tech.
In 2025, Apple expressed its objections to multiple provisions within the DMA, including mandates for outside payment options and the ability to download applications from alternative markets.
The commission has maintained that it will not reconsider or alter the DMA in light of Apple’s objections, compelling the company to adapt to EU regulations.
Earlier on June 8, Apple unveiled the new and improved Siri, capable of answering inquiries by referencing user content such as messages, emails, and photos.
The company criticized what it described as the EU regulators’ “overreaching interpretation” of the DMA, stating that complying would require providing any virtual assistant unfettered access to users’ private information, jeopardizing essential data protections.
Craig Federighi, Apple’s senior vice-president of software engineering, indicated in a statement that the regulators’ unwillingness to engage constructively regarding privacy-centric solutions has resulted in an uncertain timeline for Siri AI’s introduction in iOS and iPadOS across the EU.
“We hope to ultimately introduce Siri AI to the EU and will persist in discussions with EU regulators to find a viable path forward,” he stated.
Siri AI was made available for developer testing on June 8 and is expected to roll out to users as a beta version in English by 2026.
Despite its absence in the EU, the feature will still be accessible to users in upcoming updates for macOS and Vision Pro, Apple confirmed.
Notably, Siri AI will not be available for the Apple Watch, as the wearable requires a paired device to operate. Furthermore, the company stated that Siri AI will also not be offered in China due to ongoing compliance with local regulatory frameworks.
Source link: Straitstimes.com.
