The Verge / Financial Times | June 30, 2026
Apple CEO Tim Cook held a constructive exchange with EU competition chief Henna Virkkunen on Tuesday over the ongoing impasse that leaves roughly 450 million Europeans without access to Apple Intelligence that actually works. According to an unnamed spokesperson speaking to the Financial Times, the two discussed how Apple can launch its reinvented Siri in Europe while avoiding millions of dollars in fines for violating the bloc's flagship competition rules. The meeting represents the latest attempt to resolve the standoff that has persisted since Apple's Siri was found to violate the Digital Markets Act (DMA) by not offering European users a choice of search engines. Apple's AI strategy in Europe remains blocked, meaning EU users cannot access the full suite of Apple Intelligence features including ChatGPT integration, generative image tools, and writing features. The impasse continues to have significant implications for Apple's AI rollout globally, as the company has been reluctant to offer a non-Google search engine in Europe due to competitive concerns.