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Apple introduced Siri AI at WWDC 2026 on 8 June 鈥� its biggest leap forward in AI technology for quite some time, built on Google Gemini foundation models developed jointly with Google and running on both device and server.

Within hours, Apple confirmed that the feature would be unavailable to iPhone and iPad users in the European Union at launch, with no timeline for when that might change. Craig Federighi, Apple鈥檚 Senior Vice President of Software Engineering, said the company was 鈥渄eeply disappointed that our EU users won鈥檛 have Siri AI on iPhone or iPad.鈥�

The reason, according to Apple, is the Digital Markets Act. EU regulators have interpreted the DMA to require that AI systems be given nearly unlimited access to user devices and be permitted to take autonomous actions without ongoing user visibility or control. Apple proposed an alternative approach 鈥� a 鈥淭rusted System Agent鈥� framework with an 18-month rollout plan designed to protect user privacy 鈥� and it was rejected. Apple鈥檚 statement described the regulatory position as creating 鈥渃lear dangers to EU users鈥� on privacy and security grounds.

macOS 27 and visionOS 27 users in the EU will get Siri AI, iPhone and iPad users won鈥檛. The EU joins China as the two markets where Siri AI on iOS 27 and iPadOS 27 is unavailable at launch, for different regulatory reasons.

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A Pattern That Keeps Repeating

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This isn鈥檛 the first time the DMA has produced this outcome 鈥� Apple blocked AI features from European users ahead of the Siri AI launch too.

The EU鈥檚 own approach to tech regulation has repeatedly produced a situation where the bloc鈥檚 consumers are the last to access new products because the regulatory requirements attached to them are ones major technology companies won鈥檛 or can鈥檛 meet at launch.

The DMA was designed to promote competition and protect consumers. The effect in practice, at least in this case, is that European consumers on iPhones are running a materially inferior product to their counterparts in the US, UK, Australia and most of the rest of the world. This sits poorly with a regulatory framework supposedly built for consumer protection.

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What The Actual Disagreement Is About

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The problem lies in the substance of the matter, not the process.

Apple鈥檚 argument is that the DMA鈥檚 requirement for AI systems to have broad device access and autonomous action capability without continuous user oversight creates privacy and security risks. The EU鈥檚 position, as Apple characterises it, is that the DMA requires exactly that level of access as a condition of interoperability.

Apple proposed a phased implementation with privacy guardrails 鈥� the EU rejected it. Apple says regulators are 鈥渞efusing to engage鈥� on alternatives. Whether that characterisation is fair is a matter of perspective, but the outcome isn鈥檛 in dispute: European iPhone users don鈥檛 get Siri AI, and there鈥檚 no date for when they will.

The overarching question this raises for European tech policy is whether the EU鈥檚 regulatory approach is creating the consumer outcomes it was designed to create. Regulation that results in European consumers consistently receiving delayed or blocked versions of major technology products isn鈥檛 neutral in its effects. It has a cost, and that cost is being paid by the people the regulation is supposed to protect.

The situation creates a striking contrast for the UK, which sits outside the reach of the DMA post-Brexit 鈥� UK iPhone users will get Siri AI, EU iPhone users won鈥檛. That鈥檚 a concrete, visible product difference that will be felt by millions of people, and it鈥檚 not a great advertisement for the proposition that heavy tech regulation reliably improves the consumer experience.