Apple CEO Tim Cook made his second visit of the year to China this week, aiming to seek more partners to support the launch of his new product, Apple Intelligence.
During his visit, Cook met with China’s Minister of Industry and Information Technology and several local firms, discussing topics related to network data security, cloud services, digital content, 5G product cooperation, and Apple’s development in China.
Experts believe that Cook’s main intention for this visit is to find partners to help launch Apple Intelligence, the company’s new artificial intelligence initiative, in China, which is Apple’s largest overseas market.
Apple Intelligence will feature enhancements such as an improved voice assistant and tools that automatically organize emails and transcribe and summarize audio recordings. While it is set to launch in the U.S., there are currently no plans for a rollout in China.
The Chinese government has put a mandate on generative AI technology, stating that gen AI-based chatbots are required to be carefully examined before the public release.
Some experts suggest that without Apple Intelligence, Chinese users may be less likely to upgrade to the iPhone 16. After all, Apple sales have declined by 2% year-over-year despite the success of the iPhone 16’s launch in the Chinese market.
Additionally, Apple faces competition from local rival Huawei, which is reportedly preparing to launch its own headset to compete with Apple’s Vision Pro.
