Apple wanted 18 months to figure out how to bring its upgraded Siri AI to European iPhones and iPads without running afoul of the Digital Markets Act. The European Commission said no.

On June 9, EU regulators formally rejected Apple’s appeal for an exemption from the DMA’s interoperability requirements, a decision that leaves hundreds of millions of European iPhone and iPad users without access to the company’s next-generation voice assistant for an indefinite period. The ruling landed just one day after Apple confirmed at WWDC 2026 that the updated Siri AI would not ship with iOS 27 or iPadOS 27 in the EU.

What Apple asked for, and what the EU actually said

Apple proposed what it called a “phased intermediary solution” to gradually enable interoperability with third-party digital assistants over 18 months. Regulators weren’t buying it.

The European Commission characterized the proposal as an attempt to sidestep obligations rather than genuinely comply with them. In the Commission’s view, Apple had failed to devise solutions meeting the EU’s privacy and security standards, opting instead for a blanket exemption request dressed up as a compliance roadmap.

The Commission also made a pointed clarification: the DMA does not prohibit Apple from launching new products or features in the EU. The decision to withhold Siri AI from iOS and iPadOS in Europe was, in the regulators’ framing, entirely Apple’s call.

Meanwhile, the upgraded Siri AI will proceed without delays on macOS 27 and visionOS 27 in the EU.

The DMA and Apple’s gatekeeper status

Apple was designated as a gatekeeper under the Digital Markets Act back in September 2023, a classification that applies specifically to iOS and iPadOS. The gatekeeper label triggers a set of obligations designed to open up dominant platforms, including requirements to allow deeper integration of competing services.

The fact that macOS and visionOS versions of Siri AI are proceeding in the EU suggests that the interoperability demands specific to iOS and iPadOS, the platforms where Apple holds gatekeeper status, are the sticking point, not some fundamental incompatibility between Siri AI and European privacy law.

What this means for investors and the broader tech landscape

The Commission’s rejection signals that regulators are not interested in granting extended grace periods to companies that propose gradual compliance instead of substantive solutions. Other tech firms designated as gatekeepers, including Google, Meta, and Amazon, should take note.

For Apple specifically, the path forward likely involves either developing a version of Siri AI that genuinely satisfies interoperability requirements or continuing to withhold the feature from European iPhone and iPad users. The inability to integrate Siri AI into iOS and iPadOS could hinder sales in a critical region, impacting Apple’s overall market performance.