In short
- Apple released Siri AI on 14 September, the biggest overhaul of Siri so far. It is not coming to iPhone, iPad or Apple Watch in the EU for now, and Apple gives no date.
- On the Mac, Siri AI does work in the Netherlands, but only with Siri (and probably the whole Mac) set to English. Dutch is not among the languages Apple has announced.
- Regular Apple Intelligence, such as writing help, photo editing and smart features in Safari, works in the EU and in Dutch. That is what your team can use today.
Apple's September 2026 announcements included new iPhones and a new Apple Watch, but the real news was software: Siri AI, an assistant that understands your mail, messages and screen, and takes actions in apps on your behalf. For a Dutch business running iPhones and Macs, the short answer is this. In the EU, Siri AI is not available on iPhone, iPad or Apple Watch. It is available on the Mac, but only in English. The Apple Intelligence you already had keeps working, including in Dutch.
What did Apple show at the 9 September event?
The iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max took centre stage, built around a new A20 Pro chip (Apple, iPhone 18 Pro). In the Netherlands the iPhone 18 Pro starts at €1,479 and the Pro Max at €1,629 (Apple Store). According to MacRumors, Apple also showed the foldable iPhone Duo, Apple Watch Series 12 and Ultra 4, and AirPods 5, in John Ternus's first keynote as CEO.
What is Siri AI in iOS 27?
iOS 27, iPadOS 27, macOS 27 and watchOS 27 arrived on 14 September, with Siri AI as an English-language beta. Apple calls it "a profoundly more capable and conversational assistant" (Apple, Siri AI is here). The main parts:
- Personal context: Siri searches your messages, mail and photos, for instance to pull instructions out of an email.
- Onscreen awareness: you ask about what is on your screen and Siri acts on it, such as adding home fixtures from a website to your calendar.
- Actions in apps: Siri already works with apps including WhatsApp. Microsoft Outlook is listed by Apple as "coming soon".
- A dedicated Siri app with conversation history, and Write with Siri for drafting and proofreading.
Apple built the underlying models "in collaboration with Google and its Gemini models". They run on the device or in Apple's own cloud, Private Cloud Compute.
Image: Apple, Major updates for Apple's software platforms are now available.
What Siri AI can do for your work: Siri AI for business.
Why is Siri AI missing from iPhones in the EU?
Apple said back in June that Siri AI would not ship on iPhone and iPad in the EU with iOS 27. Apple puts this down to the Digital Markets Act (DMA), the EU law that requires large platforms to open up to competitors. Apple proposed an intermediate layer that would give other assistants secure access, but the European Commission did not accept it. In the words of Apple's Craig Federighi: "we do not currently have a timeline for Siri AI's availability on iOS and iPadOS in the EU" (Apple, June 2026). Siri AI is not coming to Apple Watch in the EU either.
The Commission sees it differently. Spokesperson Thomas Regnier called the decision "Apple's and Apple's only, because absolutely nothing in the DMA prohibits Apple from introducing new products in the EU" (European Commission). Who is right cannot be judged from the outside. What matters for you: do not plan on Siri AI on your team's iPhones for now.
Can you use Siri AI on the Mac?
Yes. According to Apple, Mac and Vision Pro users in the EU can use Siri AI "when set to a supported language". For now that means English only. Version 27.2, which Apple has announced for October, adds French, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese and Spanish. Dutch is not on that list, and Apple gives no date for it.
Apple Support asks for the device language and the Siri language to match (Apple Support). In practice, that probably means switching the whole Mac to English to use Siri AI. Apple does not say how well it handles Dutch emails and documents.
Image: Apple, Major updates for Apple's software platforms are now available.
What works in Dutch?
Apple Intelligence, Apple's wider set of AI features, supports Dutch. According to Appletips, Dutch arrived with iOS 26.1 in November 2025. Apple Support states that the new generation of features "such as advanced photo-editing, the reimagined Image Playground, and intelligent features for browsing" is available to users in the EU (Apple Support).
What exactly works in Dutch: Apple Intelligence in the Netherlands.
Reference Image: proving a photo is real
The iPhone 18 Pro's camera sensor "can sign every pixel it sees". Apple turns that signed data into a reference image that cannot be altered. In the Photos app you see it next to the regular photo, so you can check whether anything has been edited. Useful wherever a photo serves as evidence.
In the EU you cannot capture reference images at launch, but you can view and check them with iOS 27, iPadOS 27 and macOS 27 (Apple, iPhone 18 Pro). More in Apple Reference Image: proving a photo is real.
Audio Intelligence on Apple Watch
Apple Watch Series 12 and Ultra 4 gained Audio Intelligence. Live Rewind and Siri Recap follow later in 2026 as a beta, in English (Apple Support). According to Mac Observer, Apple's press release states that Audio Intelligence will not initially be available in the EU. Apple does not specify which parts that covers.
What can you use in the Netherlands?
| Feature | In the Netherlands | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Siri AI on iPhone, iPad, Watch | No | No date from Apple |
| Siri AI on Mac and Vision Pro | Yes | Only with Mac and Siri in English |
| Apple Intelligence | Yes | Also in Dutch |
| Reference Image | View and check | Capture not yet possible |
| Audio Intelligence on Watch | Not initially | Apple gives no details |
What does this mean for your business?
For most organisations, little changes right now. Do not buy new iPhones for Siri AI: in the EU it is not on them. Make better use of the Apple Intelligence you already have, such as summaries and writing help in Dutch, and agree which business data your team may use with it.
If part of your team works on Macs and in English, try Siri AI there. Decide up front what Siri may do on someone's behalf in mail, calendar and other apps.
Want to work out which AI features your team can sensibly use on iPhone and Mac today? Book a conversation.
Sources
- Apple, Apple debuts iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max, 9 September 2026
- Apple, Apple Event September 9 2026, YouTube, 9 September 2026
- Apple, Siri AI, a profoundly more capable and personal assistant, is here, 14 September 2026
- Apple, Major updates for Apple's software platforms are now available, 14 September 2026
- Apple, Due to DMA, Siri AI delayed in EU for iOS 27 and iPadOS 27, June 2026
- Apple Support, How to get the next generation of Apple Intelligence, updated 14 September 2026
- Apple Support, Audio Intelligence on Apple Watch, 30 September 2026
- Apple, Buy iPhone 18 Pro (Netherlands), accessed 6 October 2026
- European Commission, response from spokesperson Thomas Regnier
- MacRumors, Apple September 2026 event recap, 9 September 2026
- Mac Observer, iPhone 18 Pro and Apple Watch in the EU: Apple's software gap is wider than Siri AI alone
- Appletips, Apple Intelligence beschikbaar in het Nederlands (Dutch)
