After months of regulatory delays, Apple announced its AI suite, Apple Intelligence, will reach iPhone and iPad users in the European Union in April 2025. Previously limited to English in the U.S., Apple Intelligence will bring features like Writing Tools, Genmoji, an updated Siri, and ChatGPT integration to EU users, along with support for various European languages.
Currently available on macOS in the EU, Apple Intelligence debuted on Monday for the latest iPhone, iPad, and Mac models with iOS 18.1, though it requires users to set their devices to U.S. English. This restriction will ease for EU iPhone and iPad users in April, with updates in local languages coming gradually throughout the year. Early 2025 will see support for French, German, Italian, Portuguese, and Spanish, while additional languages like Chinese, Korean, Japanese, and Vietnamese will follow.
Apple had previously cited the DMA as the reason for delaying the AI suite on iOS and iPadOS in the EU. The DMA designation of Apple as a “gatekeeper” directly affects iOS, iPadOS, the App Store, and Safari, though macOS falls outside these restrictions. As a result, Apple Intelligence is already accessible on macOS Sequoia 15.1 in Europe. On mobile, however, European users encountered compatibility barriers, prompting Apple to withhold features until it could ensure compliance.
The DMA aims to prevent major tech players from using their dominance to limit competition. Apple’s careful navigation of these regulations seems to have delayed its AI tools, but the company assures that compliance hasn’t compromised its feature set. Apple expressed excitement about the EU launch, stating its dedication to delivering Apple Intelligence “in a way that complies with the DMA while maintaining user privacy and security.”
In December, Apple will release updated English support for Australia, Canada, and other English-speaking regions outside the U.S. The current iOS 18.1 update includes Writing Tools, live transcriptions, and notification summaries. The iOS 18.2 and macOS Sequoia 15.2 updates—scheduled for December—are expected to bring enhanced features, including ChatGPT, Genmoji, Visual Intelligence, and Image Playground.
Device Compatibility for Apple Intelligence:
With Apple Intelligence finally coming to EU users, Apple seems eager to bridge the gap between American and European user experiences. As this technology rolls out, it’ll be interesting to see how well it resonates with EU users and whether it meets their expectations for privacy and functionality.
