Apple Intelligence in China: Live Translation Arrives With iOS 27.3 in December

Apple Intelligence in China finally has a date. Apple has said the first features reach iPhones in China mainland with iOS 27.3: a developer beta on November 4, 2026, and a public release in December. Live Translation on AirPods is on the list.

So if you bought your iPhone in China, or your Apple Account is set to China mainland, here is what changes, which devices you need, and what you can do today while you wait.

Apple Intelligence China release date

Two dates matter. Developers can test the first China features in the iOS 27.3 developer beta starting November 4, 2026. Everyone else gets them with the public iOS 27.3 release in December 2026. Apple has not named the exact December day.

This is the end of a long wait. Apple Intelligence launched in the US in 2024, and Chinese regulators approved Apple’s AI services in July 2026. Apple is working with Alibaba, whose Qwen model powers parts of Siri, Writing Tools and Visual Intelligence in China.

Is Live Translation part of Apple Intelligence in China?

Yes, according to Apple’s announcement as reported by iClarified, Unite.AI and MacRumors. Live Translation is listed for Messages, FaceTime and Phone calls, and for face-to-face talks through supported AirPods.

The rest of the first set covers Writing Tools, notification summaries, Priority Notifications, Genmoji, Clean Up in Photos and Visual Intelligence. Two things are left out for now: the new Siri shown at WWDC 2026 and Image Playground.

One caution. As of October 31, 2026, Apple’s feature availability page still marks Chinese (Mandarin, Simplified) as “not available in China mainland,” and Apple’s Apple Intelligence support page still says it won’t work on iPhones bought there. Expect both pages to change when iOS 27.3 ships. We will update this post when they do.

Which iPhones and AirPods work in China?

The device list is the same as everywhere else. If your iPhone can’t run Apple Intelligence in New York, it can’t run it in Shanghai either.

There is also a language rule. The reports say both your iPhone language and your Siri language must be set to English or Chinese (Simplified). The first rollout is iPhone only. iPad and Mac follow later, once approvals come through.

How to turn on Live Translation in China after iOS 27.3

1. Update to iOS 27.3 in Settings > General > Software Update once it is out.
2. Set the iPhone and Siri language to English or Chinese (Simplified).
3. Turn on Apple Intelligence in Settings > Apple Intelligence & Siri.
4. Connect supported AirPods and update their firmware.
5. Download both languages in Settings > [your AirPods name] > Live Translation.
6. Open the Translate app, tap Live, pick the two languages and tap Start Translation.

Our step by step guide on how to turn on Live Translation on AirPods covers the stem press, Siri and the Action button.

What if your iPhone or AirPods are left out?

Many iPhones in use in China are iPhone 13, 14 or a base iPhone 15. None of them will get Apple Intelligence with iOS 27.3. The same is true for AirPods 3 and the cheaper AirPods 4.

The built-in Translate app still works without Apple Intelligence. Its Conversation mode plays each side through the iPhone speaker, which is fine for a quick question at a counter.

If you want to hear the other person in your earbuds while they keep talking, our app Live Translation on Headphones does that on any iPhone with iOS 18 or later. It covers Chinese (Simplified), Chinese (Traditional), English and 11 more languages, in any direction. It runs on the iPhone with Apple’s on-device speech and translation tools, and it works offline once a language is downloaded.

Does anything change for visitors to China?

Not much. Today, an iPhone bought outside China with a non-China Apple Account can already use Apple Intelligence while in China mainland. Apple’s rule only blocks it when the iPhone was bought in China, or when you are there and your account region is China mainland.

For travelers, the bigger question is language. Apple’s AirPods feature covers 11 languages. If your trip mixes Mandarin with Cantonese, or you travel with someone who speaks Turkish or Arabic, check our Live Translation languages guide before you go.

Should you wait for iOS 27.3?

If you have an iPhone 15 Pro or later and AirPods Pro 2, AirPods Pro 3, AirPods 4 with ANC, AirPods 5 or AirPods Max 2, yes. Apple’s feature is built into iOS, and in December it should work for you in China. Keep your iPhone updated and download the languages early.

If your iPhone or earbuds are not on Apple’s list, the update won’t change that. An app that plays translations in any headphones is the way to get live Mandarin to English in your ears now.

The app is made by Little Tough LLC and is not affiliated with Apple. For everything about Apple’s feature, read our Apple Live Translation guide.

Quick answers

When is Apple Intelligence coming to China? With iOS 27.3. The developer beta starts November 4, 2026, and the public release is planned for December 2026.

Is Apple Intelligence available in China now? Not on iPhones bought in China mainland, and not for people there with a China mainland Apple Account. That changes with iOS 27.3.

Does AirPods Live Translation work in China? From December, with iOS 27.3, on an iPhone 15 Pro or later with supported AirPods, according to reports of Apple’s announcement. Visitors with iPhones and accounts from outside China can already use it.

Which Apple Intelligence features come to China first? Live Translation, Writing Tools, notification summaries, Priority Notifications, Genmoji, Clean Up and Visual Intelligence. The new Siri and Image Playground are not included yet.

Will my iPhone 14 get Apple Intelligence in China? No. Only the iPhone 15 Pro, iPhone 15 Pro Max and newer models with Apple Intelligence are supported.

Is Apple Live Translation free? Yes. It is built into iOS on supported iPhones.

Sources: Apple Support: How to get Apple Intelligence, Apple: iOS Feature Availability, Apple Support: Use Live Translation with your AirPods, iClarified: Apple Intelligence coming to China in December with iOS 27.3, Unite.AI: Apple brings first Apple Intelligence features to China in iOS 27.3, App Store: Live Translation on Headphones.