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Apple said to choose Alibaba over DeepSeek for China AI

Apple is reportedly partnering with Alibaba to bring its Apple Intelligence platform to China.

Apple had considered DeepSeek and ByteDance but chose Alibaba instead.

The company initially explored working with Baidu to localize Apple Intelligence but faced significant challenges that led to abandoning the plan.

Apple Intelligence has yet to launch in China, a key market where iPhone sales declined 11%, partly due to its absence.

Recent Apple developments

Timeline
12-Feb-2025 🤝 Apple, Alibaba partner for AI features in iPhones in China
  • Apple partners with Alibaba for AI in iPhones.
  • Focus on Alibaba’s Qwen AI model for Chinese market.
10-Feb-2025 📱 Apple to unveil iPhone SE 4, Powerbeats Pro 2 earbuds
  • Apple plans to unveil iPhone SE on Feb. 11.
  • New PowerBeats Pro 2 headphones debut alongside.
09-Feb-2025 🤖 Apple explores expressive robotics with Pixar-like lamp
  • Apple shares consumer robotics research details.
  • Prototypes enhance human-robot interaction via movements.
06-Feb-2025 🚨 Apple stock drops amid potential Chinese App Store probe
  • Apple’s stock drops 1% amid China scrutiny.
  • Investigation on App Store practices remains undecided.
05-Feb-2025 📅 Apple launches new invites app for easier event invitations
  • Apple launches Apple Invites app for events.
  • Features include playlists, albums, maps integration.

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