EarthCompass Privacy Policy

1. Information We Access or Collect

Location Data

The app may access your device location, including latitude, longitude, altitude, speed, heading, and movement route data.

We use location data to provide features such as:

• Compass direction and current coordinates

• Altitude measurement

• Map display and current position

• Route tracking and exercise history

• Location watermarks on photos

• Weather, elevation, and address lookup for selected map points

When you record a route, the app may save route points, altitude, speed, distance, start time, duration, and activity type locally on your device.

Motion, Heading, and Sensor Data

The app may access device sensor data, including compass heading, magnetic field strength, and motion-related information.

This data is used to:

• Display compass direction

• Rotate the compass or map according to your device heading

• Estimate magnetic field strength

• Improve navigation and orientation features

Camera and Photos

If you use the camera feature, the app may access your device camera to take photos.

Photos may include a watermark containing information such as:

• Date and time

• Weather and temperature

• Altitude

• Air pressure

• Address

• Latitude and longitude

If you choose to save or preview photos, the app may request access to your photo library.

Weather and Map-Related Data

To provide weather, address, elevation, and map features, the app may send coordinates to third-party services. These services may include map, geocoding, weather, and elevation providers, such as:

• AMap / Gaode Map SDK

• Open-Meteo

• Geoapify

• Apple location or geocoding services

The coordinates are used to return relevant map, address, weather, elevation, or environmental information.

2. How We Use Information

We use the information accessed by the app only to provide app functionality, including:

• Showing your current compass direction

• Displaying your current position on a map

• Measuring altitude and environmental data

• Recording and displaying route history

• Showing weather and address information

• Adding location and weather watermarks to photos

• Improving the usability and reliability of app features

We do not sell your personal information.

We do not use your location data for advertising tracking.

3. Local Data Storage

Some data may be stored locally on your device, including:

• Route history

• Recorded GPS points

• Altitude and speed records

• Activity type

• App settings

• Compass display preferences

This data is stored in the app’s private storage area on your device.

If you delete the app, locally stored app data will generally be removed from your device.

4. Third-Party Services

The app may use third-party services to provide map, geocoding, weather, elevation, and location-related features.

When these features are used, limited data such as latitude and longitude may be sent to those services to process your request.

Third-party services may process data according to their own privacy policies. We recommend reviewing the privacy policies of any third-party providers used by the app.

5. Photos and Watermarks

When you take a photo in the app, the app may overlay location, weather, altitude, and time information onto the image.

The photo is saved only when you choose to take or save it.

The app does not upload your photos to our servers.

6. Route Tracking

When you start route tracking, the app records location-related data during the activity, such as coordinates, altitude, speed, distance, duration, and activity type.

This data is used to display current activity status and route history.

Route records are stored locally on your device unless you choose to share or export them through system sharing features.

7. Permissions

The app may request the following permissions:

• Location Permission: required for compass location, altitude, map position, route tracking, weather, address, and elevation features.

• Camera Permission: required for taking photos inside the app.

• Photo Library Permission: required for saving or previewing photos.

• Motion / Compass Sensor Access: used for direction, heading, and magnetic field-related features.

You can manage these permissions at any time in iOS Settings.

8. Data Sharing

We do not sell, rent, or trade your personal data.

Data may be shared only in the following limited situations:

• When necessary to provide app functionality through third-party services

• When you choose to share a photo, route, or screenshot using iOS system sharing

• When required by law or legal process

9. Data Retention

Locally stored route history and app settings remain on your device until:

• You delete them inside the app, if deletion is supported

• You delete the app

• iOS removes app data according to system behavior

Third-party services may retain request data according to their own policies.

10. Children’s Privacy

The app is not intended to knowingly collect personal information from children. If you believe a child has provided personal information through the app, please contact us.

11. Security

We use reasonable technical measures to protect locally stored app data. However, no method of storage or transmission is completely secure.

You should avoid sharing screenshots, photos, or route records if they contain sensitive location information.

12. International Users

If you use the app outside your country or region, location or coordinate data may be processed by third-party services in other regions, depending on the service provider.

13. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. If we make material changes, we will update the effective date above.