Apple CEO Tim Cook traveled to Beijing on Monday amid speculation surrounding the local launch of the US tech giant’s on-device artificial intelligence (AI) system. This marks Cook’s second visit to mainland China in 2023.
During his previous visit earlier this year, Cook was accompanied by renowned Chinese photographer and filmmaker Chen Man. He also met with students from China Agricultural University and Zhejiang University at a farm in Beijing’s Shunyi district, according to his Weibo posts and local media reports.
In his most recent Weibo post on Tuesday, Cook shared that he had visited an Apple Store in downtown Beijing, where he met with customers and Apple’s local staff.
Apple did not immediately respond to requests for comment on Tuesday regarding the itinerary of Cook’s current visit. Furthermore, there has been no confirmation from any Chinese ministry indicating that Cook has met with officials this week.
This is Cook’s second trip to China this year. In March, he visited Shanghai, where he met with key suppliers and inaugurated the company’s 57th Apple Store in the Greater China region, which includes mainland China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Macau.
Cook’s latest visit underscores Apple’s efforts to maintain a strong presence in one of its largest markets, especially as analysts suggest that consumer enthusiasm for the iPhone 16 has waned due to the delayed introduction of Apple Intelligence in the region.
Apple is expected to release the iOS 18.1 update to its mobile operating system soon. However, the company has not disclosed whether it will partner with a Chinese entity to provide AI features for the iPhone 16 in the world’s largest smartphone market.
Meanwhile, Chinese Android manufacturers are aggressively pushing new AI capabilities on their devices. Earlier this year, South Korean tech giant Samsung Electronics announced that Baidu’s AI model would be integrated into the company’s latest flagship smartphone series, the Galaxy S24.
Following Cook’s recent Weibo post, some Chinese netizens called for a swift launch of Apple Intelligence on the mainland.
During Apple’s earnings call in August, Cook stated that the company was “very constructively engaged” with regulators in China and the European Union about bringing AI features to iPhone users. “We need to understand the regulatory requirements before we commit to that and commit to a program to do that,” he said.
Meanwhile, leading Chinese Android phone makers such as Xiaomi, Oppo, and Vivo are promoting generative AI (GenAI) capabilities in their latest devices. GenAI can generate images, text, videos, and other media in response to user commands.
As of August 2023, Chinese regulators had approved a total of 188 GenAI services, all developed by mainland technology companies.
