Following the long-awaited overhaul, the company says the system will bring deeper intelligence across its devices, but it will not launch everywhere at the same time.

The update focuses on a more conversational assistant that can understand context across apps and screens. It also allows users to interact with Siri in a more continuous way, including through a dedicated interface that stores recent interactions privately.

Apple says Siri AI can now search across Messages, Mail, Photos and Calendar to surface personal information when needed. It also reads what is on a device screen and responds based on that content. The assistant is also designed to work across iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch, AirPods and Vision Pro.

A camera-linked feature adds another layer, where users can point their device at objects and ask Siri to interpret them. Apple says this can include tasks such as analysing food items or helping split shared bills.

At the core of the system is what Apple calls “Apple Intelligence”, built on its own Foundation Models. The company says some tasks will run on-device, while more complex requests will use Private Cloud Compute.

Apple stated that “Privacy at Every Step,” is still very much central to the design, explaining that external support from Google’s Gemini model helps with some cloud-based functions. However, the company maintains that user data is not stored in a way that links back to individuals.

Despite the rollout, access will be restricted in key markets at launch. Users in the European Union will not receive Siri AI on iPhone or iPad when iOS 27 and related updates arrive later this year. China will also miss the initial rollout.

Apple links the European restriction to regulatory demands under the Digital Markets Act. The company argues that it cannot safely integrate the system under current conditions.

In its statement, it said regulators require “direct access to users’ private data – and the ability to directly control other installed applications – as soon as Siri AI is made available in the EU without the necessary safeguards to ensure user and data safety”.

The company also referenced its earlier proposal to regulators, describing a “Trusted System Agent” approach, which it says was not accepted. Apple maintains that the rejected model would have allowed safer integration with competing assistants.

Craig Federighi, Apple’s senior vice president of software engineering, said EU users will not get Siri AI on iPhone or iPad with the new operating system releases this year. He confirmed the restriction during the announcement window.

The company also stated that “extreme interpretation of the DMA” influenced its decision to hold back the feature. It added that it sees “clear dangers to EU users” under the current framework.

Even so, Apple confirmed that EU users will still access Siri AI on Mac computers and Vision Pro headsets. Those platforms will run macOS 27 and visionOS 27 with the feature included.

In China, Apple says approvals are still in progress, and no timeline has been confirmed for a full rollout. The company has not announced Siri AI availability for mainland China at launch.

It added that Hong Kong may receive earlier access, depending on language support and regulatory clearance. English-language beta testing is expected to begin in select regions later.

Apple’s strategy places Siri AI at the centre of its software ecosystem. The assistant will be integrated across iOS 27, macOS 27, watchOS 27, visionOS 27 and tvOS 27. The company is positioning this as a shift towards a more AI-led operating system design.

Developer access is already open through beta releases, with public testing expected around July 2026. A full release is expected later in the year, likely alongside the next iPhone cycle.

The post Apple Unveils “Siri AI” Upgrade with Cross-App Intelligence, Limited EU and China Rollout appeared first on Tech | Business | Economy.

Shein accused Temu of using thousands of its product photographs to sell copied versions of Shein-branded clothing on Temu’s platform. 

The company told the court that Temu tried to benefit from Shein’s market position by reproducing images created by Shein employees.

“This was an attempt to steal a march on an existing participant in the market, and Temu has sought to obtain, we say, an unfair advantage,” Shein’s lawyer Benet Brandreth said in court.

The trial is expected to run for two weeks and is part of a case between both companies across several countries, including the United States.

During proceedings, Shein’s legal team said Temu had withdrawn part of its defence covering almost 2,300 disputed photographs. Brandreth compared the decision to “the defendant waiting to see if the witnesses will turn up, only to plead guilty”.

Temu denied the allegations and argued that Shein’s lawsuit was not simply about protecting copyright. Its lawyers said the case was aimed at slowing down a rival that has grown rapidly in global online retail.

Temu, owned by PDD Holdings, has also filed a counterclaim against Shein. The company is seeking damages after Shein secured a court injunction that forced thousands of Temu product listings offline.

At the centre of the counter-claim is Temu’s accusation that Shein tied suppliers into exclusive agreements, making it harder for competitors to access manufacturers. That competition law dispute is expected to go to trial next year.

The court case is happening at the same time that both companies are facing pressure from regulators in Europe and the United States. Authorities have increased investigation over supplier treatment, product safety, labour standards and the flood of low-cost parcels entering Western markets.

Temu is currently under investigation in the European Union over possible breaches of product safety regulations. Shein, meanwhile, is still being questioned about labour practices within its supply chain as it works towards a possible London stock market listing.

The companies have built huge international businesses by selling ultra-cheap fashion, accessories and household goods directly to shoppers online. Their rapid growth relied heavily on customs exemptions for low-value imports, which helped keep prices low.

That advantage has started to get weaker. The United States removed its de minimis customs exemption for low-value e-commerce parcels in 2025, increasing costs for retailers shipping directly from China. 

The European Union is also preparing to end similar exemptions in July 2026, a move that could affect the expansion plans of both companies.

The issue has already spread beyond Britain. Shein sued Temu in the United States last year over alleged copyright infringement, while Temu later filed its own case accusing Shein of disrupting its marketplace through what it described as “unwarranted notices”.

Although the London case focuses on copyrighted photographs and copied designs, the result could stretch further. 

The post Shein and Temu Clash in London Court Over Copyright, Competition Issues appeared first on Tech | Business | Economy.

The new site will be built in Lahti, in southern Finland and the company said it will start with a capacity of 50 megawatts and could expand to 128 megawatts over time.

Projecting the facility to be up and running by 2027, TikTok began work on its first Finnish data centre in Kouvola less than a year ago. This is due to become operational by the end of this year.

Together, both sites are part of a 12 billion euro plan to store and manage European data locally.

TikTok says the programme is designed to strengthen safety for more than 200 million users across Europe. The company currently stores European data across centres in Norway, Ireland and the United States, with added security measures in place.

Pressure on TikTok has been growing on both sides of the Atlantic. In Europe, regulators are paying more attention to how social media platforms handle user data and protect children.

In the United States, TikTok’s Chinese parent company, ByteDance, avoided a ban in January after agreeing to strengthen data management.

Finland has attracted a steady flow of data centre projects in recent years. Similar investments have come from tech firms, drawn by the country’s cold climate, which reduces cooling costs, and its supply of low-cost, low-carbon electricity. The regulatory environment has also helped.

Still, not everyone in Finland is fully convinced. Last year, when details of TikTok’s first project emerged, some politicians said they were not properly informed. Questions around security and transparency have not completely gone away.

Local officials in Lahti have taken a more positive view. Mayor Niko Kyynarainen said, “In the context of Lahti, the investment is substantial. We are pleased that a main tenant agreement has been signed and that the project is progressing as planned.”

The post TikTok to Invest €1bn in Second Finland Data Centre appeared first on Tech | Business | Economy.

The interim order, issued on Wednesday by the Italian antitrust agency (AGCM), targets clauses that regulators say risk locking competitors out of WhatsApp. 

This is meant to prevent harm while the investigation runs its course, not to prejudge the outcome. Still, it lands heavily on Meta at a time when Europe is stepping up its monitoring of Big Tech companies, keeping a close eye on their policies and market influence.

AGCM first opened the case in July, focusing on how Meta integrated its own AI assistant into WhatsApp. In November, investigators widened the scope to include updated terms tied to WhatsApp’s business platform. 

By December 24, the watchdog concluded that immediate action was needed. Its concern is that Meta’s behaviour could limit output, choke access to the market, and slow technical progress in AI chatbot services, with knock-on effects for users.

“These contractual conditions completely exclude Meta AI’s competitors in the AI chatbot services market from the WhatsApp platform,” the regulator said. 

Given WhatsApp’s scale, that is important. With more than two billion users worldwide, exclusion from the platform can decide which tools survive and which never get traction.

A Meta spokesperson described the decision as “fundamentally flawed,” adding that the rise of AI chatbots “put a strain on our systems that they were not designed to support”. The company’s line is that opening WhatsApp more widely to third-party AI would risk stability and performance.

This is not just an Italian fight. The European Commission launched its own parallel investigation earlier this month, examining whether Meta’s policies breach EU competition rules across the bloc. 

If regulators ultimately find wrongdoing, penalties could reach up to 10% of Meta’s global annual turnover, a figure that runs into tens of billions.

The case fits the European pattern. Brussels and national authorities have taken tough action against Apple over App Store rules, Google over advertising technology, and Amazon over marketplace practices. 

The approach contrasts with the United States, where enforcement has been looser, drawing complaints from the administration of President Donald Trump that Europe is singling out American firms.

Italy’s watchdog says it is working closely with the European Commission to address Meta’s conduct “in the most effective manner”. 

The post Meta Ordered to Stop WhatsApp Terms That Block Rival AI Chatbots appeared first on Tech | Business | Economy.

The law, enforced since March 2024, compels tech firms classified as “gatekeepers”, including Apple, Google, Meta and Amazon, to open their platforms to third parties, permit alternative app stores and payment systems, and end practices such as self-preferencing. It is currently under review, with the European Commission receiving stakeholder feedback up to September 24.

Apple says these policies are already limiting what customers in Europe can access. According to the company, several new features have been delayed, including iPhone-to-Mac mirroring, live translation with AirPods, and enhanced location-based tools in Maps. 

Apple says these features depend on its tightly integrated ecosystem and cannot be safely extended to third-party platforms without risking user data.

“It’s become clear that we can’t solve every problem the DMA creates,” Apple said. “Over time, it’s become clear that the DMA isn’t helping markets. It’s making it harder to do business in Europe.”

The Commission has dismissed Apple’s objections, stressing that obligations under the law are not negotiable. A spokesperson noted: “Gatekeepers, like Apple, must allow interoperability of third-party devices with their operating systems.”

The issue reveals how far governments can push top tech firms to open their systems without damaging user safety. Apple argues that sideloading apps and the rise of alternative marketplaces, both required under the DMA, expose consumers to scams, malware and pornography apps that were previously blocked from its App Store. The company says younger users and those less experienced with technology are most at risk.

Apple’s case aligns with concerns raised in Washington, where former U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration repeatedly condemned the DMA as discriminatory against American technology firms. 

The issue has also come with penalties: in April, Apple and Meta were fined for non-compliance, with Apple facing a €500 million sanction over restrictions on developer communications.

Reports from policy think tanks such as EPICENTER and ITIF have added weight to Apple’s stance, arguing that the DMA’s rigid design risks stifling innovation, delaying product rollouts and spreading compliance costs to smaller businesses.

The European Commission maintains that the law is essential to increase competition and consumer choice. Its first formal review is expected to determine whether the rules will be tightened further, potentially extending obligations to social networks.

Apple has made it clear it will continue to comply with legal requirements, but it is also noting that the EU regulation may come at a high cost for users, fewer features, slower innovation and, paradoxically, weaker protections.

The post Apple Warns EU Law is Blocking Features, Heightening Security Risks appeared first on Tech | Business | Economy.