Apple’s new Siri AI is missing from iPhones, iPads, and Apple Watch models across the European Union following its rollout, with Apple blaming the Digital Markets Act while European regulators counter that the company simply requested an exemption rather than facing a genuine legal barrier.
As Apple rolls out iOS 27 alongside its upgraded assistant, European users find themselves cut off from the primary mobile features of the new software. While desktop users working on compatible Mac computers or an Apple Vision Pro can access the upgraded assistant, owners of mobile devices across the European Union, the United Kingdom, and the European Economic Area face restricted availability. OpenAI’s newly released cloud agents, known as dots, are similarly absent from Pro and Business Premium plans in Europe, while Meta’s agent Muse remains strictly confined to iOS and Android users in the United States.
The Digital Markets Act Dispute Over Assistant Interoperability
The core disagreement centers on how the European Union’s Digital Markets Act applies to dominant mobile platforms. Apple maintains that complying with the regulation’s strict interoperability demands would force the company to grant competing third-party assistants deep access to sensitive device functions, creating security and privacy vulnerabilities.
According to Apple, the rules would require opening up private messages, local files, financial purchases, and cross-application controls to rival software. European regulators rejected that approach.
Brussels Rejects Apple Claims of a Regulatory Ban
The European Commission strongly disputes Apple’s characterization of the regulatory standoff. Officials in Brussels emphasize that the regulation itself does not prevent the launch of advanced AI assistants within the bloc.
Commission representatives stated publicly that the decision to keep the assistant off mobile devices stems entirely from internal corporate strategy rather than an outright prohibition under EU law.
Apple and Brussels Struggle to Agree on Release Date
Financial reporting indicates that negotiations between Apple and Brussels have made little progress, leaving mobile users without a firm roadmap. Industry analysts project that the absolute best-case scenario for a European mobile release would arrive in the spring of 2027, echoing the five-month delay observed during the previous rollout of Apple Intelligence.
Until a compromise is reached between regulators and technology firms, European consumers seeking advanced background automation must rely on alternative setups or existing hardware configurations that fall outside mobile restrictions.
The situation affects owners of iPhone 16 models and newer, as well as the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max. While the assistant debuted globally on September 14, 2026, initial language support was limited to English, with additional languages including French, Spanish, Japanese, Korean, and Portuguese slated for later introduction. In the European Union, however, the software is entirely missing from handheld devices and smartwatches alike, even though it functions properly on macOS 27.