---
title: "Hardware & Software & FieldBuddy"
canonical: "https://help.fieldbuddy.com/space/FBDOCS/blog/6826754058/Hardware%20%26%20Software%20%26%20FieldBuddy"
format: markdown
---
To all customers that are thinking of buying new hardware for their users. The minimum requirements for hardware can be found in our documentation per product:
- [https://upperdeck.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/FBDOCS/pages/5367464036](https://upperdeck.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/FBDOCS/pages/5367464036)
- [https://upperdeck.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/FBDOCS/pages/5183340667](https://upperdeck.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/FBDOCS/pages/5183340667)
- [https://upperdeck.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/FBDOCS/pages/5367398432](https://upperdeck.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/FBDOCS/pages/5367398432)
In this blog we will explain how we suggest you to select your hardware.
> ⚠️ FieldBuddy is **NOT** a hardware supplier. Ask your hardware supplier for advice based on our requirements and this blog.
> ⚠️
> ⚠️ This blog can not be considered buying advice and FieldBuddy can not be accountable for purchases.
When selecting new hardware. Do not underestimate the user experience. Good hardware make users more productive and happy. Plenty of [research](https://www.compulite.ca/hardware-effects-staff-productivity/) that confirms this and it can boost up to **25%** of productivity having your users on proper hardware.
## FieldBuddy Service Center
For users of the back-office application the FieldBuddy Service Center. These users are commonly using a computer or laptop. The required minimum hardware requirements are low so not a lot of issues are experienced.
## FieldBuddy Dispatch Panel
For users of the planning application FieldBuddy Dispatch Panel. Not only proper hardware is required but equally important are monitors. The more pixels (preferably 4K) the more a planner can see at the same time. Multi monitor set-up is extremely common for planners.
## FieldBuddy Swift
For users of the mobile application FieldBuddy Swift buying the right hardware is more complex. Development of software & hardware are rapidly changing in the mobile eco system. Yearly Apple and Google release their new operating systems with higher requirements. Multiple phone brands are releasing multiple times per year new phones with better hardware. A continuous stream of changes.
### Apple iOS vs. Google Android
Before selecting the correct hardware often companies will select their operating system. There’s no good or bad in making this choice. There are a couple of statements that you need to take into account:
#### Is Apple more expensive than Android?
No. There’s a filter on [Coolblue](https://www.coolblue.nl/en/tablets/filter/snelheidsklasse:uitstekend?sort=lowest-price) for ‘Excellent’ performance and order tablets from cheapest to most expensive. For the past few years, the Apple devices are cheaper and Samsung high-end devices are overall more expensive.
There is a lot of cheap Android devices, but comparison should be done within the same hardware league.
Support of the manufacturer of the device should be taken into account when buying.
#### What Android device to pick?
There are lots of Android devices. Samsung are by far the most popular devices among our users. If you are planning to buy an Android device. We recommend buying one first, test it extensively before buying the bulk. We are unable to buy each Android device and test our software.
#### What platform has the most bugs?
We are yearly reporting more platform specific issues on Android than on iOS. We try to address all issues as fast as possible but simply due to the huge amount of devices, platform and hardware specific issues are more common on Android. Issues of this type are rare in general.
### The hardware
For Google Android minimum requirements are higher due to the ‘open platform’. A device from Samsung with the ‘[Excellent](https://www.coolblue.nl/en/tablets/samsung/filter/snelheidsklasse:uitstekend/internetverbinding-opties:5g-en-wifi?sort=lowest-price)’ performance label is a save choice.
For Apple iOS the minimum requirements are little bit lower. But a device from the ‘[Excellent](https://www.coolblue.nl/en/tablets/apple-ipad/filter/snelheidsklasse:uitstekend/internetverbinding:5g-en-wifi?sort=lowest-price)’ performance label is a save choice.
### Benchmarks
If you want to compare your current device versus our minimum requirements. Use [this](https://nanoreview.net/en/soc-compare/qualcomm-snapdragon-8-gen-1-vs-apple-a15-bionic) website to compare.
### The Operating System & Store policies
Android and Apple release their new OS typically every year. The support of a device and operating system is handled different between Android and Apple.
- For Android, its Google that determines the support for Android-versions in general, but its the device manufacturer (e.g. Samsung) that is in control whether updates are received and whether a devices gets OS-upgrades (from Android 14 → 15). A manufacturer decides, not Google.
- For iOS, its Apple that decides which devices gets which OS-upgrades (from iOS 14 → 15) and how long it provides security updates for an OS version.
It is important to understand that its not the OS support that determine the FieldBuddy Swift requirements. This is primarily determined by the Google Play Store and the Apple App Store.
These stores allow only applications using certain technology. This means that stores determine if FieldBuddy Swift can update the app.
Google Play Store [announced](https://developer.android.com/google/play/requirements/target-sdk) that starting August 31 2025 we are only allowed to target Android 15 or higher and Apple works in a similar way. Although Android 14 still receives security updates, as an application developer you can no longer update your application via the store.
This normally does not impact users since they have the previous application installed, which keeps working. Unless there are unlikely changes, like [this](https://upperdeck.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/FBDOCS/blog/2026/04/15/6855426066).
> ℹ️ By default FieldBuddy tries to support the current and previous version of their operating system. Check out the [blog](https://help.fieldbuddy.com/page/blogs) section for the latest information.
### Questions?
Contact us via support.