Apple Siri connects to Qwen then quickly retracts, China AI delayed again
Apple Siri briefly integrated Qwen then quickly pulled it — China's AI launch delayed again. On the afternoon of August 8, someone browsing the Mac Simplified Chinese manual on Apple's China website unexpectedly stumbled upon a new document titled "Using Qwen with Apple Intelligence on Mac." Clicking in, it clearly detailed that China's Apple Intelligence would integrate Alibaba's Qwen, including how to log in and which Mac models are supported. Less than a day later, on the morning of August 9, the original link
💡 What You Will Learn
Apple Siri briefly integrated Qwen then quickly pulled it — China's AI launch delayed again. On the afternoon of August 8, someone browsing the Mac Simplified Chinese manual on Apple's China website u
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Apple's Siri Integration with Qwen Appears and Disappears, Mainland China AI Launch Delayed Again
On the afternoon of August 8th, someone browsing Apple China's official Mac Simplified Chinese manual unexpectedly discovered a new document titled "Using Qwen with Apple Intelligence on Mac." Clicking in, it clearly outlined that mainland China's Apple Intelligence would integrate Alibaba's Qwen model, complete with login instructions and supported Mac models.
Less than a day later, on the morning of August 9th, the original link was dead. The Qwen section had been swapped back to the overseas version's "Using ChatGPT with Apple Intelligence." Shenzhen Business Daily's Duchuang and Phoenix Net covered the "retraction," but tech media outlets that first reported the story, like IT Home and Tencent News, never mentioned the word "removed." And that was that — no trending topic, no viral spread.
How Far Has the Qwen Partnership Actually Gotten
Let's lay out the timeline first.
On July 15th this year, the Cyberspace Administration of China released a new batch of registered generative AI services, with "Apple Intelligence" on the list, registration completed July 8th, covering mainland China iPhones. Alibaba responded to media at the time, confirming Qwen would be integrated into Apple Intelligence for Chinese users of iOS, iPadOS, macOS, and visionOS.
On the afternoon of August 8th, that document went live on Apple China's official Mac Simplified Chinese manual. This was the first time Apple explicitly told mainland users, via official documentation, which domestic large language model Apple Intelligence would use. The document was highly detailed — Siri could have Qwen analyze photos and documents, and Writing Tools could leverage Qwen for composition. On the morning of August 9th, the document was pulled. Apple gave no official explanation.
What Exactly Did Apple Write in the Mac Manual
The retracted document's original text survives in screenshots across various media outlets.
Two core things. First, Siri can invoke Qwen. Users could say "Hey Siri, ask Qwen to write a poem about a dragon," and when Siri determines Qwen can help, it would first ask whether to hand off to Qwen. Siri itself only handles the transfer; Qwen provides the actual responses. Second, Writing Tools can invoke Qwen — when composing text in apps like Notes and Mail, users can have Qwen assist with writing or rewriting.
Three eligibility scenarios were listed: Apple Account set to mainland China, being in mainland China without logging into an Apple Account, or owning a mainland China version Mac. Meeting any one condition suffices. Two login methods: direct login with an existing Qwen account, or one-click registration using an Apple Account.
Mainstream Tech Media's Cold Treatment Actually Told the Truth More Clearly
When Apple releases new features, tech media like IT Home and Tencent News typically jump on it overnight. The document went live on the afternoon of August 8th, IT Home published at 8 PM, and Tencent News followed. Headlines were excited — "Apple Intelligence's Alibaba Qwen Extension Makes an Appearance."
But they only covered the "launch" half. The "retraction" half — IT Home didn't follow up, Tencent didn't either. It was ultimately Shenzhen Business Daily's Duchuang, Phoenix Net, and Leikeji that appended the "and then it was pulled" ending.
This cold treatment ironically painted a clearer picture of the truth than any clickbait headline. The document itself was real. Apple acknowledged the Qwen partnership through official documentation — a posture never seen in the past two years. Previous partnership rumors were dug up by Bloomberg and IT Home from supply chains and code; Apple never once confirmed. This time, Apple showed its hand itself.
But Apple chose to reveal it and then pull it back. No official explanation. That tells you this isn't yet the moment for a formal announcement.
What's Been Stalling Mainland Apple Intelligence for Two Years
Rumors of Apple bringing AI to mainland devices have circulated for nearly two years. It started in late 2024 with reports that Apple was in talks with Baidu, Alibaba, ByteDance, and Tencent — every one of them got a spin through the rumor mill.
At 3 AM on March 31, 2025, mainland iPhone users who upgraded to the iOS 26.4 release noticed that "Siri & Search" in Settings had become "Apple Intelligence & Siri." Plenty of people stayed up to update their systems, download models, and test it out. Then Apple remotely shut down the entry point. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said at the time, "This was an accidental launch" — the feature was ready but hadn't received regulatory approval.
The August 8th document launch and retraction was the second "premature exposure" after registration. The script was nearly identical to March's incident — technically ready, but procedurally not yet at the formal announcement stage, so Apple closed the door again.
The common thread in both mishaps is that Apple and its partner's coordination rhythm was off. Alibaba responded quickly, confirming the partnership the same month registration was filed. But Apple's own release cadence keeps missing the official milestone. Mainland Mac users checking macOS 27 Beta still see Siri in Settings — the Qwen extension hasn't appeared at all.
What Mainland Users Can Do Right Now
Wait. The mainland version isn't live in macOS 27 Beta yet. The Qwen extension will likely ship with some official system release, but Apple hasn't announced a date.
Don't try jailbreaking or installing the overseas version of Apple Intelligence as a "workaround." The overseas version defaults to ChatGPT, and with the triple verification of a mainland Mac model, mainland Apple Account, and mainland China IP, it simply won't work.
If you're already using Alibaba Qwen's standalone app or web version, the experience is essentially the same as what future macOS system-level integration would offer — the only difference is you won't need to switch apps in the future.
Final Thoughts
The key takeaway for mainland users is this: Apple's first official acknowledgment of the Qwen partnership through documentation matters more than actually "getting to use it." Using it is just a matter of time, but acknowledgment is the final hurdle in the partnership. Apple showed its hand, then pulled it back because the process wasn't complete. The partnership itself is solid — Apple is just navigating a short but awkward final stretch of regulatory approval.
The next time a Qwen document appears in the Mac manual, it probably won't be coming down.
Sources: Shenzhen Business Daily's Duchuang, Phoenix Net, Sina Finance, IT Home, Apple China official Mac Simplified Chinese manual (screenshot archive from August 8th)
Written by our editorial team; tools listed here are tested or verified against public sources. Links point to official sites or GitHub repos for reference only — no paid placements.
