Apple iOS 18 Beta 2 Confirms No Apple Intelligence in the EU. In the background are concerns about action in digital markets

A few days ago, information was circulating online that most of the new AI-based features in iOS 18, iPadOS, tvOS and macOS Sequoia will not be released in the EU. Now, thanks to iOS 18 Beta 2, we find out that these reports are true. So let’s check what will remain after Apple Intelligence is excluded from new updates for equipment with the Apple Bitten logo in the EU.

Apple iOS 18 Beta 2 confirms no Apple Intelligence functionality in the EU. Users of older iPhones won’t lose anything, but users of Mac computers, iPads, and iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max may be disappointed by the manufacturer’s decision.

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On June 21, 2024, Apple officially commented on the lack of AI features built into Apple Intelligence in the European Union. We can also read: “Given the regulatory uncertainty caused by the Digital Markets Act, we do not believe we will be able to offer three of these features – iPhone Mirroring, SharePlay screen sharing improvements, and Apple Intelligence – to our users in the EU this year.” As YouTube user Nieantyfan reported, right after the release of iOS 18 Beta 2, even the AI-based testing functionality was not made available in our European region. Apple likely wants to avoid additional penalties and greater confusion related to the European Commission’s ongoing investigation into DMA violations.

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But what does this mean for users of the Apple ecosystem in Europe? Well, iPads with M series processors, iPhone 15 Pro, and Pro Max will receive a limited update compared to users in the rest of the world. In Europe, iOS 18 will offer almost the same new features for all compatible iPhones. Older smartphone users won’t lose anything, but Mac owners may be very disappointed. This is because the upcoming macOS Sequoia offers almost exclusively AI-driven features compared to macOS Sonoma. Apart from the game-related improvements, the only thing left is the new functionality for managing open windows. Despite this pessimistic news, we can expect the situation to return to normal after March 2025, when the final decision on the dispute between the EU and Apple will be taken.

Source: Financial Time, YouTube (@Niantyfan)