What platforms does Némos support?

Némos is intentionally Apple-only. Here's the platform support, the reasoning, and the roadmap.

Currently supported (2026):

• iPhone: iOS 17+. iOS 26 unlocks the full Apple Foundation Models features.
• iPad: iPadOS 17+. Optimized for both portrait and landscape. Apple Pencil first-class support.
• Apple Watch: watchOS 10+. Capture-focused — voice notes, complication shortcuts, quick view of recent items.
• Mac: macOS 14+ (Sonoma) on Apple Silicon. Runs as a Catalyst app (iPad app on Mac, not a native AppKit app — yet).
• Vision Pro: visionOS 1+. Spatial view of captured content. Beta feature.

Not supported (and why):

• Android: not on roadmap. The on-device AI architecture relies on Apple Foundation Models, which don't exist on Android. Building an Android version would require switching to cloud AI, which breaks our privacy commitment.
• Windows: not on roadmap. Similar reasoning + Mac Catalyst already covers desktop users.
• Web: not on roadmap. CloudKit doesn't expose a web API for end-user-readable content; we'd have to build a separate sync infrastructure.
• Linux: not planned.

The intentional limitation:

By staying Apple-only, we get to:

• Use Apple Foundation Models for AI (on-device, private).
• Use CloudKit for sync (E2E encrypted, free, reliable).
• Use Apple's frameworks for everything: Vision, Speech, NaturalLanguage, AppIntents, ActivityKit, WidgetKit.
• Ship deeper integrations (Apple Watch complications, Live Activities, Lock Screen widgets, Action Button, Spotlight, Siri Shortcuts, Focus modes, Handoff).
• Maintain a small team and fast release velocity.

A cross-platform Némos would mean cloud AI, weaker privacy, slower releases, and a generic experience on every platform. We chose deep-and-narrow over wide-and-shallow.

iCloud requirements:

Since Némos syncs via CloudKit, you need:

• An iCloud account (free, included with any Apple device).
• iCloud Drive enabled (Settings → [Your Name] → iCloud).
• Némos enabled for iCloud (Settings → Apps → Némos → Sync with iCloud).

The free 5 GB iCloud tier is enough for Némos — we only sync metadata and index, not full-resolution images, so a typical user's iCloud footprint stays under 100 MB even with thousands of items.

Family Sharing:

Némos supports Apple's Family Sharing for both the free and Pro tier. If one family member buys Pro, up to 5 others can use Pro for free.

Beta channel:

We run a public TestFlight beta. To join: visit nemosapp.com/beta. Beta builds get features 2-4 weeks before the App Store release.

The 2026 device test matrix:

We test every release on:

• iPhone 15 Pro (lead device)
• iPhone 13 (baseline performance)
• iPhone SE 3rd gen (low-end target)
• iPad Pro M2 11" (iPad lead)
• iPad mini 7
• MacBook Air M2
• Apple Watch Series 9 (watch lead)
• Apple Watch SE
• Vision Pro

If you have an older device (iPhone 12 or earlier), Némos still works but some on-device AI features (semantic search, Foundation Model summaries) require iOS 26 + A17 Pro or later.

The compatibility cliff:

iOS 26 + Apple Foundation Models requires A17 Pro or later (iPhone 15 Pro, iPhone 16, etc.). On older devices, Némos falls back to non-AI features. This isn't a Némos decision; it's Apple's hardware requirement.

Roadmap:

Q3 2026: Native macOS app (replacing Catalyst).

Q4 2026: Vision Pro out of beta.

2027+: not planned to expand beyond Apple platforms.

Bottom line: Apple ecosystem only, by design. If you're not on Apple devices, Némos isn't the right tool. If you are, the deep integration is the point.

## Why this question gets asked so often

Cross-platform support is the single most-debated decision for indie productivity apps. The "what platforms does X support?" question reflects a real coordination problem — users with mixed-device families (iPhone + Windows laptop, MacBook + Android phone) want one app for everything. The 2024 Apple-vs-everything competitive landscape sharpened this question: Apple's APIs (Foundation Models, CloudKit, AppIntents, ActivityKit) are uniquely capable, so iPhone-first apps can be 10x better on Apple than they would be on Android, but at the cost of leaving non-Apple users behind. Notion's "works everywhere" strategy gets it 50M users; Obsidian's "local-first, every platform" strategy gets it 1.5M paying users. Apple-only apps like Things, Bear, and Reeder serve smaller but deeply loyal audiences. The question matters because users who pick an Apple-only app and later switch to Android face migration friction.

## The deeper story

The deep-and-narrow vs wide-and-shallow choice is one of the most consequential decisions an app makes. Wide-and-shallow apps (Notion, Evernote, Google Docs) reach more users but can't use platform-specific APIs deeply — they end up running on a JavaScript-based renderer (Electron, React Native) that achieves portability at the cost of native feel and battery life. Deep-and-narrow apps (Bear, Things, Day One, Reeder) ship native code per platform and use platform-specific APIs aggressively. The 2024 Apple Intelligence + Foundation Models + AppIntents stack is exclusive to Apple and adds capabilities no cross-platform app can replicate. The Tiago Forte BASB framework acknowledges this tension: most users do their actual capture on one device family (their phone), so deep integration on that one platform matters more than universal availability. Némos's bet is that for capture-heavy iPhone users, Apple-only deep integration is a feature, not a limitation.

## Edge cases and gotchas

• iCloud account requirement: every Némos user needs an iCloud account. Free, but required.
• Family Sharing: works for entitlements but doesn't share notes between family members.
• Beta TestFlight: available with public link; build availability depends on App Store review status.
• Mac Catalyst vs native AppKit: current Mac app is Catalyst; native AppKit version planned for Q3 2026.
• Vision Pro: beta, smaller user base; some features (Apple Watch sync, share extension) work differently.
• iOS 17 fallback for older iPhones: works but on-device AI features require iOS 26 + A17 Pro+.
• iPad Stage Manager: optimized for both stage manager and standard multitasking modes.
• Universal Control + Sidecar: notes sync across devices but cursor handoff is between Macs.

## What competitors say

Notion runs everywhere via Electron + React Native — works but feels heavy. Obsidian runs everywhere via Electron and a separate mobile build — works well, niche audience. Bear is Apple-only (similar choice to Némos). Things is Apple-only. Day One is Apple-only. Reeder is Apple-only. GoodNotes is iPad-first, expanding. Notability is similar. Apple Notes is Apple-only by definition. Roam is web-first with iOS app. Mem is web + iOS. Capacities is web + iOS + Mac. Tana is web-first. Logseq is local-first, all platforms via Electron. Joplin is local-first, all platforms via Electron. Standard Notes is everywhere via React Native. Némos's choice (Apple-only) is closer to Bear and Things — high-investment Apple-native experience over broad platform reach.

## The 2026 verdict

Pick Apple-only apps if you're committed to Apple devices and value deep integration over portability. The strategic risk is real: if you switch to Android or get a Windows work computer, you're stuck. Mitigation: ensure the app supports Markdown export so you can migrate if needed. The strategic reward: Apple-only apps in 2026 can use APIs (Foundation Models, AppIntents, ActivityKit) that cross-platform apps simply can't. For users firmly in the Apple ecosystem (estimated 750M iPhone users plus 200M iPad users worldwide), the deep integration is genuinely worth the platform lock-in. For users who switch platforms regularly, cross-platform tools like Obsidian or Notion are safer choices.