Apple AI has taken a significant leap forward in the Chinese market. Beginning January 2, 2026, grayscale testing for "Apple Intelligence and Siri" has been rolled out on select iPhone models sold in China. For instance, iPhone 16 Plus units involved in this testing phase have been upgraded to iOS 26.2. Along with this update, the original "Siri" settings have undergone a renaming, and a brand-new "Image Playground" icon has made its debut on the system desktop.

However, the initial feedback from users has been quite mixed. Some features haven't quite lived up to the hype generated by the promotional campaigns. For Apple to successfully launch the subsequent official version, it will be crucial for the company to fine-tune Siri's intelligent capabilities and visual creation tools. This optimization should be tailored to better align with the usage patterns and preferences of Chinese users, especially after expanding the scope of the grayscale testing.