Privacy policy for Indic Compass

Introduction & Core Philosophy

IndicStudio builds tools designed to respect your fundamental right to privacy. Indic Compass is an orientation instrument and clinometer designed with a privacy-by-design, offline-first architecture. It does not collect, transmit, sell, or monetize any personal information.

Actual Data Categories & Processing

Indic Compass operates completely on your local device. The application does not collect any personally identifiable information (PII).

Sensors & Hardware Data

• Data Processed: Physical sensor readings from device sensors (Rotation Vector, Geomagnetic Rotation Vector, Accelerometer, and Magnetometer).
• Processing Mode: Live on-device volatile memory computation only. Sensor data is processed in real time to calculate device azimuth (bearing), pitch, roll, and magnetic field strength.
• Persistence: Sensor measurements are never logged, saved, or uploaded. When the application is paused or closed, all sensor listeners are un-registered and immediately cleared from memory.

Location Data (Optional)

• Data Processed: Approximate or precise geographic coordinates (latitude, longitude, altitude) if the user explicitly grants location permission and enables True North.
• Processing Purpose: Strictly used on-device to query Android's built-in android.hardware.GeomagneticField mathematical algorithm to calculate the local magnetic declination angle (difference between Magnetic North and geographic True North).
• Persistence & Transmission: Location coordinates are never stored to disk, cached, logged, or sent over any network. Location is solely read instantaneously to calculate the declination angle in volatile memory.

Application Preferences

• Data Stored: User settings (selected angle units: Degrees/Mils/Radians, True North switch state, haptic mode, keep-screen-on state, damping filter level, and visual theme).
• Storage Location: Stored locally on-device using Android Jetpack DataStore in private app storage (compass_preferences.preferences_pb).
• Backup: If Google Drive or Android Auto-Backup is enabled by the user in device system settings, Android OS may back up these user preferences per the application's manifest rules (allowBackup="true").

Permissions Declared & Why

Indic Compass declares a minimal set of permissions:

1. android.permission.VIBRATE:

• Reason: To generate subtle haptic tactile feedback when crossing cardinal directions (0° North, 90° East, 180° South, 270° West) or when toggling heading lock.

2. android.permission.ACCESS_COARSE_LOCATION & android.permission.ACCESS_FINE_LOCATION (Optional Runtime Permissions):

• Reason: Solely used to look up geomagnetic declination for the optional True North feature. The app operates fully without this permission using standard Magnetic North.

3. No Network Permissions:

• Indic Compass does not declare android.permission.INTERNET. It is technically impossible for the application to initiate network connections or transmit data to external servers.

Third-Party SDKs, Advertisements & Analytics

• Third-Party SDKs: None. Indic Compass does not embed any advertising SDKs, analytics frameworks, tracking libraries, crash reporters, or social logins.
• Advertisements: Indic Compass contains zero advertisements.
• Analytics & Telemetry: Zero analytics, telemetry, or user tracking.

Data Retention & Deletion

Since Indic Compass does not collect or store user files or personal records on any external server, there is no remote data to retain or delete. All local preferences stored in Android DataStore are completely erased when you uninstall the application from your device or clear app data via Android Settings.

Children's Privacy

Indic Compass is safe for all audiences, including children (Everyone 3+). It contains no mature content, advertisements, data gathering, or external communication features.

Changes to This Privacy Policy

If updates to Android operating system requirements or application features necessitate updates to this policy, revisions will be published on the official website with an updated effective date.

Contact IndicStudio

For privacy questions about this preview build, email support@indicstudio.com. Include the app name and version so we can identify the relevant build.