Apple rarely gets caught off guard with its own software rollouts. That’s why its latest misstep in China where Apple Intelligence briefly surfaced and then vanished stands out. Nearly a year and a half after first launching in the US  with iOS 18.1 in October 2024, Apple Intelligence has expanded slowly and carefully across select global markets. China, however, has remained off the list despite repeated signals from Apple that support was coming. That’s what made the sudden appearance of the feature, however short-lived, so surprising. Reports began circulating after screenshots emerged on social media showing the “Apple Intelligence &…