European Union technology chief Henna Virkkunen holds “constructive” talks with Apple CEO Tim Cook following a public standoff over the release of the enhanced “Siri AI” assistant in Europe. Multiple outlets report the meeting takes place as a video call and that both sides describe the exchange as productive, with continued work on topics of common interest. The dispute centers on Apple’s plan to launch upgraded Siri features tied to forthcoming iOS and iPadOS versions, while the EU argues Apple’s approach does not comply with its competition and interoperability rules. According to reporting, the EU frames its position under the Digital Markets Act (DMA), which requires Apple to provide rival virtual assistants access to the same underlying iPhone capabilities as Siri with appropriate user consent. Apple previously proposed an approach involving intermediary software, described by some reports as a “trusted system agent,” to enable third-party assistants’ access, but the EU rejected it and says Apple sought to delay or obtain an exemption rather than provide a compliant solution. Apple had not publicly commented on the latest round of discussions at the time of reporting, while outlets note the two sides remain deadlocked and that the EU seeks to avoid potential penalties for non-compliance.
EU and Tim Cook hold constructive talks after Siri AI launch standoff
European Union technology chief Henna Virkkunen holds “constructive” talks with Apple CEO Tim Cook following a public standoff over the release of the enhanced “Siri AI” assistant in Europe. Multiple...
- Henna Virkkunen, the EU’s technology chief, meets with Apple CEO Tim Cook by video call and both sides call the talks “constructive.”
- The talks follow an EU–Apple standoff over launching the upgraded Siri AI features in Europe.
- The EU cites requirements under the Digital Markets Act, including interoperability access for rival AI assistants to iPhone capabilities used by Siri.
- Apple previously proposed intermediary software (described as a “trusted system agent”) to enable third-party access, but the EU rejected it.
- The enhanced Siri AI is not yet available in the EU, while the dispute remains unresolved and compliance discussions continue.
EU regulators and Apple traded barbs last month over competition rules that the US company says have stopped it releasing its upgraded assistant Siri AI in the bloc
1 month agoEuropean technology chief Henna Virkkunen held “constructive” talks with Apple CEO Tim Cook
1 month agoApple CEO Tim Cook held "constructive" talks with EU tech chief Henna Virkkunen on Tuesday about releasing Siri AI in the bloc while complying with the bloc's digital rules, reports the Financial Times ($). An EU spokesperson told the publication the virtual meeting had involved a "constructive exchange on topics of common interest, on which the work continues." Siri AI will be available for free with iOS 27 and iPadOS 27 when they are released in September. However, the enhanced chatbot-style Siri will not be available in the EU on iOS and iPadOS until it can find a path forward under the bloc's regulatory framework. That includes the new Siri app for revisiting conversations, expanded Visual Intelligence capabilities, integrated writing tools, Siri mode in the Camera app on iPhone, and more. When the new enhanced Siri AI features were announced at WWDC 2026 last month, Apple said EU regulators did not accept any of the company's proposed solutions to bring Siri AI to the EU while safely supporting other virtual assistants. According to the Commission, the Digital Markets Act (DMA) requires Apple to give rival AI assistants access to the same underlying iPhone capabilities as Siri, allowing them to perform many of the same tasks on a user's behalf with appropriate user consent. To address the issue, Apple came up with the idea of a Trusted System Agent – intermediary software that would be designed to let third-party virtual assistants securely access the same system capabilities as Siri AI on EU devices. Apple said the EU rejected the proposal. The EU quickly shot back against that characterization, however, saying the decision not to launch Siri AI in the bloc was entirely Apple's and that the company sought an exemption from its legal obligations rather than a compliant solution. Regulators also said Apple simply requested a blanket exemption from its interoperability obligations under the DMA, something the Commission said is not an available option. The dispute prompted a wave of criticism of the Commission. According to the Financial Times, EU officials received hundreds of emails from consumers accusing Brussels of denying Europeans access to the new technology. As for Apple's proposed Trusted System Agent, a Commission official told the publication its contact with Apple on the idea was limited, and that it lacked a concrete proposal or details on how such an agent would work beyond the general concept. The official claimed Apple "focused on obtaining a green light to delay compliance." "Apple's proposal to delay interoperability for third-party AI agents while having its product available to users would have risked leading to the entrenchment of its service before others would get a chance to compete for at least two years if not more," the official said.By contrast, the official said changes Google made to Android prompted the Commission to open a formal consultation on how the company could comply with the DMA and avoid hefty fines. Apple has not publicly commented on the latest round of discussions.Tags: European Commission, European Union, Siri, Siri AI, Tim CookThis article, "Tim Cook Holds 'Constructive' Talks With EU Over Siri AI Launch" first appeared on MacRumors.comDiscuss this article in our forums
1 month agoApple chief executive Tim Cook and the European Union’s technology chief spoke by video call on Monday, and both sides came away describing the exchange as “constructive”. That word is doing a lot of work. Executive Vice-President Henna Virkkunen, who oversees the bloc’s digital rulebook, held the meeting with Cook on 30 June. An EU […] This story continues at The Next Web
1 month agoEarlier today, Tim Cook reportedly held “constructive” talks with EU tech chief Henna Virkkunen as Apple and the bloc sought a way forward in their dispute over the delayed launch of Siri AI in Europe. Here are the details.
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