Apple’s newly announced Siri AI is set to be one of the headline features of iOS 27, iPadOS 27 and watchOS 27. But if you’re in the European Union, there’s a catch: the feature won’t be available on iPhone, iPad or Apple Watch when those updates arrive later this year.
The situation has quickly turned into a surprisingly public spat between Apple and the European Commission, with both sides offering very different explanations for why Siri AI isn’t launching in the EU anytime soon.
So what’s actually going on, and is there any chance EU users will eventually get access? Let’s delve in.
Apple points towards ‘extreme interpretation’ of DMA in Europe
Apple’s reason for not launching Siri AI in EU nations is pretty simple: it says the EU’s “extreme” interpretation of the Digital Markets Act (DMA) has made it impossible to launch the tech while maintaining on-device privacy and security.
For those unaware, the DMA essentially requires tech giants like Apple and Google to support interoperability with third-party alternatives, rather than locking down their own options, to keep the European market fair and competitive.
In a statement announcing the delay, Apple said EU regulators had not accepted any of the company’s proposed solutions over the past few months. According to Apple, the core issue focuses on interoperability requirements under the DMA.
The company argues that making Siri AI available in the EU would require it to give rival virtual assistants access to device features and user data in ways it considers unsafe. Apple claims the rules would require any qualifying assistant to access information and perform actions across apps, including reading and sending messages, accessing files, and making purchases.
Apple says it attempted to address those concerns through a system it calls Trusted System Agent, which it describes as an intermediary layer designed to give third-party assistants access to the same capabilities as Siri AI while preserving privacy and security protections.
The company also says it proposed a phased rollout that would have introduced Siri AI in the EU while gradually implementing that framework over an 18-month period.
However, Apple says none of its proposals were accepted.
“We’re deeply disappointed that our EU users won’t have Siri AI on iPhone or iPad when we share our new software releases later this year,” said Craig Federighi, Apple’s senior vice president of Software Engineering.
It’s worth noting that the restrictions Apple has announced apply specifically to iOS, iPadOS and, by extension, watchOS, which relies on a paired iPhone. Apple says Siri AI will still be available in the EU on macOS 27 and visionOS 27 when they hit devices later this year.
European Commission says Apple’s decision not to launch Siri AI ‘is its own’
The European Commission, on the other hand, sees things rather differently.
Responding to Apple’s announcement, European Commission spokesperson Thomas Regnier said the decision not to launch Siri AI in the EU was made by Apple itself, not by regulators.
“The decision not to roll out Siri AI in the EU is Apple’s and Apple’s only,” Regnier said.
He added that Apple was “unable to develop interoperability solutions that meet essential EU privacy and security standards” and that the company requested an exemption from interoperability requirements altogether. Safe to say, that’s not an option under the DMA.
What’s more interesting is that the account differs significantly from Apple’s version of events. While Apple portrays the dispute as regulators refusing to engage with proposed solutions, the Commission argues the issue was not a lack of engagement but rather Apple’s inability to produce a compliant approach.
As things stand, the two sides appear at an impasse.
Will it ever get figured out?
Right now, it’s hard to say for sure.
Apple says it remains committed to bringing Siri AI to the EU “as safely as possible” and will continue discussions with regulators. The good news is that the company has not suggested that the feature has been cancelled permanently, only that it will miss the launch of iOS 27 and iPadOS 27 in the region.
The European Commission, meanwhile, has indicated that compliance with the DMA remains the only path forward to bringing the tech to the region.
That means the most likely outcome is that discussions continue behind the scenes. Whether that leads to a revised solution from Apple, a different interpretation of the requirements, or a compromise acceptable to both sides, remains unclear.
For now, what is clear is that European fans are caught in the middle of a dispute between Apple and regulators. And until those differences are resolved, Siri AI on iPhone and iPad will remain unavailable in the EU.
