Apple's new AI update won't come to European devices until next year at the earliest due to privacy concerns, tech giant admits
- Apple Intelligence and two other features will be delayed until at least 2025
- The delay is due to privacy concerns stemming from the EU's Digital Markets Act
It was the most highly anticipated feature to be unveiled at Apple's Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) this year.
But Apple now says Apple Intelligence and two other big updates won't be coming to devices in the European Union until next year at the latest.
In a statement, the tech giant revealed that it would be delaying the EU rollout of its huge AI update due to privacy concerns stemming from the Digital Markets Act (DMA).
Apple says it will also hold back iPhone Mirroring for Macs as well as SharePlay Screen Sharing enhancements due to 'regulatory uncertainties'.
MailOnline has contacted Apple for further information but it is not yet clear whether this will affect UK users.
Apple Intelligence will not be coming to Apple devices in the EU until next year at the latest due to a regulatory clash with the EU
The much anticipated AI features were due to rollout alongside iOS 18 later this year, but will now not arrive in the EU during 2024 (stock image)
In a statement, Apple said: 'Due to the regulatory uncertainties brought about by the Digital Markets Act (DMA), we do not believe that we will be able to roll out three of these features.'
The rollout of Apple Intelligence had originally been scheduled to come as part of iOS 18 in autumn this year.
Apple says that it is 'committed to collaborating' with the EU to find a way around the issue but will not release the three new iOS 18 features to EU countries this year.
Other features coming with iOS 18 – including a redesign for the Photos app and more customizable homescreen options – are expected to come to EU countries.
But the delay means that Apple users in the EU will initially miss out on a wide range of features making use of hugely-anticipated generative AI tool.
Surely the biggest part of Apple Intelligence is the integration of OpenAI's hugely popular chatbot ChatGPT with Siri, Apple's in-built virtual assistant.
Apple Intelligence also includes the use of AI-generated 'genmojis' which allow users to create their own custom emojis with simple text prompts.
That means EU customers will have to wait to get features like Genmoji (pictured), AI text tools, and image generation
Using this feature, iPhone users will be able to create any emoji they want simply by typing in a simple description into the Messages app.
Nor will EU customers have access to AI editing tools for text and pictures which help offer summaries of long text or improve the tone of emails.
It does not mean that EU customers will never get the new features, but it may be some time until Apple finds its way around the regulatory hurdles.
The issue causing the delay is due to a rule contained in the EU's DMA which passed in 2023.
The rule means that all basic functionalities must work across all devices and ecosystems to stop big companies acting as 'gatekeepers' to quash competition from smaller firms.
Apple CEO Tim Cook (pictured) hailed Apple Intelligence as 'a new chapter in Apple innovation' but that new chapter will now have to wait as Apple complains that the EU's Digital Markets Act could 'force' compromises on privacy
Early this year, the same law has been used to force Apple to allow the introduction of third-party app stores on the iPhone.
However, Apple now says: 'The interoperability requirements of the DMA could force us to compromise the integrity of our products in ways that risk user privacy and data security.'
It adds: 'We are committed to collaborating with the European Commission in an attempt to find a solution that would enable us to deliver these features to our EU customers without compromising their safety.'
The company did not specify exactly what aspects of customer privacy would be compromised or why.
Apple's announcement comes as the company faces a $38billion fine for breaching European regulator rules over the way it runs the App Store.
Today the European Commission said its investigation found that the restrictions Apple places on app developers were in breach of the DMA.
Apple's AI products have also been criticised for their privacy concerns with Elon Musk calling the integration of ChatGPT an 'unacceptable security violation'
This could leave the tech giant facing of up to 10 per cent of its $383 billion annual global revenue.
This comes after Apple's AI update itself was criticised for allegedly undermining customer's privacy – namely Apple's plans to integrate OpenAI's ChatGPT into its Siri assistant.
Elon Musk subsequently said the update was an 'unacceptable security violation' and said that he would no longer allow iPhones into company premises.
Mr Musk wrote on X: ''If Apple integrates OpenAI at the OS level, then Apple devices will be banned at my companies.'
He added that the iPhones of guests would need to be stored in a 'Faraday cage' to block any electromagnetic signals.
