With the announcement of Apple Intelligence during WWDC 2024, many users in Europe (including Bulgaria) were eagerly waiting to test the new AI features on iPhone, iPad and Mac. Unfortunately, Apple has officially confirmed that the service will not be available in the European Union (EU) in 2024. There are several reasons and are mainly related to regulations and technological limitations. In this article, we will look at why Apple Intelligence is not yet available in our country and what we can expect in 2025.

1. The main reason: Digital Markets Act (DMA)

One of the main reasons why Apple Intelligence has not launched in the European Union is the entry into force of the Digital Markets Act (DMA) — an EU regulation aimed at large technology companies, called “gatekeepers”.

The law obliges companies like Apple to open up certain of their systems and platforms to external developers. This includes access to some hardware and software services that have been strictly controlled until now.

The company claims that such requirements could undermine the security, privacy of users, and the integrity of its devices. Therefore, Apple decided to postpone the launch of Apple Intelligence in the EU until it finds a way to meet the DMA requirements without compromising security.

2. Lack of access to NPU and AI APIs in the EU

Another significant limitation is related to the inability of European users to use Apple’s AI features, as Apple blocks access to the Apple Neural Engine (NPU) — the special hardware module responsible for artificial intelligence calculations. This means that there is no access to Apple’s internal AI APIs in the European Union and in practice means that even if devices are compatible with Apple Intelligence, the features remain disabled for users in Bulgaria and the EU.

3. What to expect in 2025?

According to official data from Apple, Apple Intelligence is planned to launch in the EU in the spring of 2025, most likely with iOS 18.4 and later.

Interestingly, Reddit users are already reporting that with the release of iOS 18.4 in March 2025, some AI features will start appearing in Europe, but with restrictions. iPhone Mirroring, for example, remains blocked. Language localization will start to be supported by Apple Intelligence after March 2025, according to Wikipedia.

4. How to use Apple Intelligence now (at your own risk)

While we wait for the official launch, many users in Europe are trying temporary solutions to activate Apple Intelligence by changing the region of their Apple ID to the US or setting their device to the “United States” region. This way, they get access to the AI features, even though they are physically located in Bulgaria or another EU country.

It is important to know that this solution works “at your own risk”. Apple may return the restrictions in future versions or take measures against such settings.

Finally, we can summarize that Apple Intelligence is not available in the EU and Bulgaria, and the reason is a combination of EU regulations (DMA) and Apple's commitment to security and personal data. The lack of access to NPU and AI APIs makes it impossible to launch the service at this time.

Apple Intelligence will be available in the EU in spring 2025 with iOS 18.4 and later versions, once compliance with the legislation is ensured. At the moment, you can either wait for the official launch, or try temporarily changing the Apple ID region to the USA, keeping in mind the possible risks.

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