June 21, 2026, 10:15 am | Read time: 3 minutes
Apple and the European Union are at odds over the introduction of the new AI version of Siri. While many users are eagerly awaiting a significantly more powerful version of the voice assistant, the offering will not appear on iPhones and iPads in the EU for now. Apple attributes this to the Digital Markets Act (DMA). However, the EU Commission strongly disagrees with this portrayal.
EU Places Responsibility on Apple
With Siri AI, Apple aims to significantly expand its voice assistant. The system is expected to better recognize personal contexts and perform tasks more directly in the future. This very development is now causing discussions between the company and European authorities.
According to the news portal “Reuters,” the EU Commission makes it clear that Apple can fundamentally offer new products and services in the European Union as well. The fact that Siri AI does not appear in the EU alongside iOS 27 and iPadOS 27 is therefore a decision by the company. In the Commission’s view, Apple has not yet developed the service to comply with the applicable rules in the European market.
Dispute Over Platform Openness
The core of the conflict is the question of how open Apple must make its system for other providers. The DMA is intended to ensure that major platform operators do not align central services exclusively with their own ecosystem.
The goal is to provide competitors with fair access to important interfaces. This is intended to prevent users from being permanently tied to individual providers. With Siri AI, this requirement is particularly complex because many functions are closely linked to the iPhone, iPad, and personal data.
Apple argues that a more personalized Siri requires particularly sensitive information. The assistant must be able to access various areas of the device for this purpose.
According to the company, other AI services might also demand access to such functions and data. This includes communication, content on the device, or personal contexts that Siri uses for responses and tasks. Apple sees potential risks to privacy and security in this.
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Proposal for Transition Period Rejected
According to Reuters, Apple proposed a compromise to European regulators. The company wanted an 18-month transition period. During this time, a technical interim solution was to be developed, allowing other AI services to securely access Siri AI.
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Apple hoped this would reduce privacy and security concerns while paving the way for a launch in the EU. However, the EU Commission rejected the proposal. In their view, it would have been a temporary exception to the DMA requirements.
Europe Remains an Important Market
The conflict also has economic significance for Apple. In the past fiscal year, nearly 27 percent of global revenue came from Europe.
The current business figures illustrate the scale. In the second fiscal quarter of 2026, Apple achieved revenue of $111.2 billion, approximately 96.2 billion euros. This represents an increase of 17 percent compared to the same period last year.
Even though the European Union is not synonymous with all of Europe, its importance for international technology companies remains significant. Around 450 million potential consumers make the market attractive. Therefore, Apple is likely to remain interested in offering Siri AI in the EU in the future.