Privacy Policy for MapSteps
Effective Date: 31 August 2026
MapSteps ("we", "our", or "us") is committed to protecting your privacy. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, and safeguard your information when you use our mobile application, MapSteps.
1. Information We Collect
MapSteps is a GPS-based walking tracker. We collect precise location data to:
Map your walking routes in real-time.
Calculate distance traveled.
Provide "Dead Reckoning" path projection when GPS signals are weak or lost.
Your walk records and GPS paths are stored on your device only. We operate no servers and never upload your location history. However, the map itself is drawn using Google Maps Platform, which receives location and viewport information from your device in order to deliver map imagery. See Section 3.
B. Physical Activity & Sensor Data
To provide accurate step counting and heading estimation, we access:
Activity Recognition: to detect when you are walking or running.
Hardware sensors: accelerometer, gyroscope, magnetometer, barometric pressure sensor (when your device has one), and the hardware step counter/detector.
Step detection: where your device provides a hardware step counter, we use it. Otherwise we detect steps from accelerometer magnitude using an adaptive moving-average threshold.
Sensor fusion: these signals are combined with GPS on your device to smooth the route and estimate heading.
All of this processing happens locally on your device.
If you choose to take a photo during a walk, MapSteps uses your device camera. Photos are:
Saved to the app's private storage on your device.
Associated with the location and time at which they were taken, so they can be shown as markers on your route and included in walk videos.
We never access your existing photo gallery, and photos are not uploaded anywhere. They leave your device only if you choose to share them (see Section 4).
MapSteps can generate a short video of your walk with background music. You may select one of the tracks bundled with the app, or import an audio file of your own. An imported file is copied into the app's private storage and used only as the soundtrack for videos you create.
Height, weight, and gender are collected to:
This data is stored exclusively on your device. We do not collect your name, e-mail address, date of birth, or any account identifier.
2. How We Use Your Information
We use the collected data solely for the core functionality of the app:
Real-time tracking and historical walk recording.
Generating statistical charts (daily, weekly, monthly, yearly).
Managing fitness goals.
Producing route videos and GPX files at your request.
3. Data Storage, Third Parties and Security
Local storage. All your walk records, GPS paths, photos, videos and profile information are stored on your device. We do not operate servers and do not receive this data.
Google Maps Platform. Map display uses the Google Maps SDK. To draw the map, your device sends location and map-view information to Google. This is governed by Google's Privacy Policy.
Google AdMob. We use AdMob to display advertisements. AdMob may collect and use your advertising ID and device information to serve personalised ads, and requires an internet connection. If you purchase "Go Ads Free", advertisements are removed.
Google Play Billing. Used to process "Go Ads Free" purchases. Payment details are handled by Google; we never see or store them.
Retention. Data remains on your device until you delete it in the app or uninstall MapSteps. Uninstalling removes all app data from your device.
4. Sharing and Export — When Data Leaves Your Device
MapSteps can export your data at your explicit request:
GPX files of a route, optionally including photo waypoints.
Route videos created from a saved walk.
Walk challenges shared with friends as GPX files.
These use your device's standard share sheet. Once you send a file to another app or person, it is outside our control and subject to that recipient's practices. Note that a shared route or photo reveals where you walked. Nothing is shared automatically.
5. Your Rights & Data Deletion
Control: you can stop location and activity tracking at any time by pausing or finishing a walk.
Deletion: you can delete all your records and profile data using the "Clear All Data" option in the app settings. This action is permanent and wipes the data from your device.
Permissions: you can revoke any permission at any time in your device settings. Revoking location will stop route tracking; step counting continues.
MapSteps requests the following permissions:
Permission
Purpose
ACCESS_FINE_LOCATION, ACCESS_COARSE_LOCATION
GPS route tracking
ACTIVITY_RECOGNITION
Step counting
HIGH_SAMPLING_RATE_SENSORS
High-rate motion sensor access for heading estimation
FOREGROUND_SERVICE, FOREGROUND_SERVICE_LOCATION, FOREGROUND_SERVICE_HEALTH
Continue tracking while the screen is off
WAKE_LOCK
Keep sensor data flowing during a walk
CAMERA
Take photos during a walk (only when you tap the camera button)
POST_NOTIFICATIONS
Show the ongoing walk notification
RECEIVE_BOOT_COMPLETED
Resume daily step counting after your device restarts
INTERNET, ACCESS_NETWORK_STATE
Map imagery and advertisements
com.google.android.gms.permission.AD_ID
Advertising ID, used by AdMob
MapSteps does not request background location access. Tracking runs only while a walk is active, as a visible foreground service with an ongoing notification.
MapSteps is not directed at children under 13 and we do not knowingly collect data from them.
8. Changes to This Policy
We may update our Privacy Policy from time to time. We will notify you of any changes by posting the new Privacy Policy within the app and updating the effective date above.
If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy, please contact: sbayar1968@gmail.com