Apple Confirms China AI Integration with Alibaba Qwen, Beta Starts Nov 4

IT Home reported on October 31 that Apple has announced the upcoming launch of its first batch of Apple Intelligence features in China, partnering with Alibaba to integrate Qwen into certain experiences. This marks the first substantive rollout of Apple Intelligence for mainland Chinese devices since its initial release in 2024.

This series of Apple Intelligence features will be available for testing starting November 4 via the latest iOS Developer Beta, and will officially launch for users in China with the release of iOS 27.3 in December. Support for other platforms will follow once necessary approvals are obtained.

According to information released by Apple, users in China can directly access Qwen within Siri, Writing Tools, and Visual Intelligence, covering capabilities related to text and image understanding.

Apple users can log in to their Qwen accounts or use "Sign in with Apple" to access Qwen within the system without needing to switch to a standalone app. Alibaba previously confirmed that the integration of Qwen would extend to iOS, iPadOS, macOS, and visionOS.

The initial features opening up to users in China focus on basic, high-frequency scenarios. Real-time translation is integrated into Messages, FaceTime, and Phone apps, supporting face-to-face conversation translation on AirPods 4 and AirPods Pro 2 (and later models). Writing Tools offer rewriting, proofreading, and summarization; Visual Intelligence uses the camera to identify surrounding objects and places; and the Clean Up tool in the Photos app removes distracting elements from images.

Additionally, Genmoji allows users to generate emojis based on text descriptions, while the Photos app adds natural language search and memory movie creation. Email and notification features include Priority Mail, generated summaries, Smart Reply, Notification Summaries, and Top Notifications for organization. Audio transcriptions in the Notes app and call recordings can automatically generate summaries.

Note from IT Home: This update does not include Siri AI, nor does it include other next-generation Apple Intelligence features announced by Apple at WWDC 2026.

▲ The Clean Up tool in the Photos app removes distracting elements while preserving the original mood of the shot.

▲ Writing Tools help users rewrite, proofread, and summarize input text.

Here are the first batch of features Apple is launching for users in China on supported iPhone models:

• Real-Time Translation helps users communicate across specific languages when sending messages or talking, seamlessly integrated into Messages, FaceTime, and Phone apps. Users can also use this feature to translate face-to-face conversations in real time via AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation, as well as AirPods Pro 2 and later models.
• Writing Tools help users rewrite, proofread, and summarize input text.
• Visual Intelligence helps users instantly understand surrounding objects and places using the iPhone camera.
• The Clean Up tool in the Photos app removes distracting elements while preserving the original mood of the shot.
• Genmoji allows users to generate custom emojis simply by entering a text description.
• Natural Language Search in the Photos app lets users easily find specific photos or videos by typing a description.
• Users can create Memory Movies in the Photos app just by entering a description.
• The Priority Mail section at the top of the Mail app inbox displays the most urgent emails, such as lunch invitations or boarding passes for the day.
• Mail Summaries allow users to view key points of an email or long email thread by simply tapping "Generate Summary."
• Smart Reply generates quick reply suggestions for users in the Mail and Messages apps.
• Notification Summaries provide key information directly on the Lock Screen, allowing users to quickly scan lengthy or grouped notifications.
• Top Notifications place the most urgent items at the top of the notification list, ensuring users immediately see what needs attention.
• Reduce Interruptions Focus Mode only delivers notifications that require immediate action.
• Audio Transcription Summaries in the Notes app are automatically generated, making important information clear at a glance.
• Users can generate Call Transcript Summaries to highlight important details.
• Siri becomes more natural and practical. Users can utilize the Type to Siri feature, which allows Siri to accurately understand intent even if the user's expression is unstructured, maintaining context continuity throughout consecutive conversations.
• When handling specific requests, Siri can access Qwen, leveraging its extensive knowledge to assist users. Users can also ask questions about photos and documents containing PDFs and presentations. By logging in to a Qwen account or using Sign in with Apple, users can smoothly access Qwen within Apple Intelligence.
• With the Create feature, users can have Qwen generate original content from scratch directly within the system-wide Writing Tools.

▲ Real-Time Translation is seamlessly integrated into Messages, FaceTime, and Phone apps, helping users communicate across specific languages when sending messages or talking.

▲ Live Translation is seamlessly integrated into Messages, FaceTime, and Phone, helping users communicate across specific languages while messaging or talking.

▲ Genmoji allows users to generate personalized emoji simply by typing a text description.

▲ The Priority Mail section at the top of the Mail app inbox displays the most urgent emails, such as lunch invitations for the day or boarding passes.

▲ Email Summaries allow users to view key points of an email or long email thread with just a tap on "Generate Summary."

▲ Priority Notifications place the most urgent items at the top of the notification list, allowing users to immediately see matters that may require attention.

▲ Users can transcribe recorded audio into text within the Phone and Notes apps; Apple Intelligence also generates summaries of the transcribed text.

▲ Siri has become more natural and useful. Users can utilize the Type to Siri feature.