On-device models
Mera can run its AI on your phone instead of in Private cloud. In the app this is called On this phone. It's a beta, it's available on iPhone only, and it isn't the default.
News still comes from Mera's servers in this mode. Your phone sends topic phrases and receives articles in the same way. What moves is the AI work.
What runs where
| Work | Runs on | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Ranking articles for you | Mera relevance model | Downloaded once, about 3 GB |
| Topics, notes, chat | Apple Intelligence | Built into the phone |
| Your profile summary and story headlines | Apple Intelligence | Built into the phone |
The Mera relevance model is licensed under Apache 2.0, and the app names the licence on the settings screen. The app downloads it from a pinned version and checks its size and file format before use.
Apple Intelligence runs outside the app, as part of iOS.
What it needs
On this phone needs all of these:
- An iPhone with an A15 chip or newer
- At least 6 GB of RAM
- Apple Intelligence available on the phone
- Enough storage for the model
You can see how your phone measures up under Settings, then Mera Protocol. If a phone can't meet a requirement, Mera keeps running in Private cloud and tells you.
Android
On this phone isn't offered on Android today. Android builds don't contain the runtime for the Mera relevance model. The code for Gemini Nano is in the app, but it isn't switched on.
How the mode is enforced
The app's cloud AI entry points check the mode themselves. In On this phone mode, a background cloud call fails with an error before it can send anything, even if a caller forgets to check.
The one exception is chat, and it's your choice. The setting Use Private cloud for chat gives you a more capable model with web search and fact checks. Your feed stays on the phone.
What changes for you
- Reading is unlimited. Your plan's daily reading limit applies to Private cloud, so it doesn't apply here.
- It's slower. Your phone does the work, one article at a time.
- It runs in the foreground. iOS refuses GPU work from the background, so ranking happens when you open the app.
- Reasons come after ranking. Mera ranks every article first, then writes notes, starting with the most relevant.
If you'd like a faster feed, Skip reasons turns the notes off.
If it stops working
If the built-in model isn't available, Mera moves your phone to Private cloud and shows a notice. It doesn't happen silently. Your choice of On this phone is kept, so the app can go back when the phone is ready.