Foundation Models Requirements
What you need to use on-device AI in Bit Buddy.
Foundation Models are Apple's on-device AI models, introduced with iOS 26. They're what power Bit Buddy's local AI analysis, and since they run on your device's hardware, there are some specific requirements to use them.
Software Requirements
The most straightforward requirement: you need to be running iOS 26 or later (or iPadOS 26 on iPad). Foundation Models are part of the operating system itself, so there's nothing extra to download. If your device is on iOS 26, the models are already there.
Hardware Requirements
Foundation Models rely on the Neural Engine built into Apple's chips. Not every device that can run iOS 26 will necessarily support all Foundation Model features. In general, devices with an A17 Pro chip or newer (iPhone 15 Pro and later) will have the best experience. Older chips may have limited support or slower processing times.
Apple doesn't publish a detailed compatibility matrix, so the simplest way to check is to update to iOS 26 and see if the "Device" option appears in Bit Buddy's AI settings. If it does, you're good to go.
Storage Space
The Foundation Models are built into iOS itself, so they don't take up additional space when you use them in Bit Buddy. You don't need to download any model files or set aside extra storage for AI processing.
No Internet Required
One of the main advantages of Foundation Models is that they work completely offline. Once your device is on iOS 26, the AI features in Bit Buddy will work whether you're connected to Wi-Fi, on cellular, or in airplane mode. This is different from the cloud AI option, which requires an active internet connection.
What If My Device Doesn't Support It?
If you're on an older iOS version or a device that doesn't support Foundation Models, you can still use Bit Buddy's AI features through the cloud provider (OpenRouter). This option works on all supported iOS versions and provides similar analysis, though it does require an internet connection and sends anonymized data to the cloud. You can enable it in Settings under the AI section.
It's also worth noting that Bit Buddy works perfectly fine without any AI features enabled. The core device management, iCloud Sync, widgets, and everything else function independently of AI.
Quick Reference
- OS: iOS 26 / iPadOS 26 or later
- Chip: A17 Pro or newer recommended
- Storage: No additional space needed
- Internet: Not required
- Fallback: Cloud AI (OpenRouter) available on older devices