Apple Unveils Foundation Models Framework for On-Device AI in iOS 26

September 29, 2025

Details

  • Apple released its Foundation Models framework alongside iOS 26, iPadOS 26, and macOS 26, empowering developers to harness Apple's on-device large language model, known as Apple Intelligence.
  • The framework allows third-party apps, such as SmartGym, Stoic, CellWalk, VLLO, and Stuff, to deliver new AI-powered features across fitness, productivity, and creative domains.
  • Operating fully offline with no inference costs, the system emphasizes privacy and speeds by using a 3-billion parameter model running directly on Apple hardware.
  • Integration with Swift and guided generation support enables developers to produce structured AI-driven app features, eliminating the need for cloud-based infrastructure.
  • The technology is available to developers building for Apple Intelligence-compatible devices, opening up advanced AI capabilities to a wide app ecosystem.

Impact

This move positions Apple as a serious contender in the AI platform race, competing directly with cloud-centric approaches from Google and OpenAI by bringing powerful, private AI to user devices. By facilitating AI development without cloud reliance, Apple lowers barriers for app makers while reinforcing its longstanding commitment to privacy. Early adoption across popular apps suggests this could reshape expectations for intelligence and privacy in mobile experiences.

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