European Union technology chief Henna Virkkunen holds a “constructive” meeting with Apple CEO Tim Cook as both sides seek a way forward in their dispute over the release of an enhanced Siri in Europe. Multiple outlets report the discussion took place by video call on 30 June and that both sides described the exchange in positive terms. The talks come amid continued regulatory deadlock between Apple and the EU over compliance with the bloc’s digital rules for gatekeepers.
The enhanced, chatbot-style Siri is set to be available as a free update with iOS 27 and iPadOS 27 when those versions launch in September, but the enhanced Siri features remain blocked in the EU until Apple finds an approach the regulators accept. Apple previously said EU regulators rejected its proposals to bring Siri AI to the bloc while supporting other virtual assistants. EU officials point to the Digital Markets Act (DMA), which requires Apple to provide rival AI assistants access to the same underlying iPhone capabilities as Siri with user consent. Apple proposed a “Trusted System Agent” intermediary concept to enable third-party assistants to access the relevant capabilities, which the EU says was not an acceptable solution and that the company sought an exemption rather than compliance. Apple has not publicly commented on the latest round of discussions.
