Effective date: June 19, 2026

1. Who we are

This Privacy Policy describes how AuroraWatch (the "iOS app" or "App") collects, uses, and shares information when you use our mobile application, widgets, Apple Watch companion (if installed), and related online services (including this website at aurorawatch.app). The App provides aurora and space-weather forecasts, maps, notifications, optional AuroraWatch Pro subscription features, and optional AI-generated viewing context for Pro subscribers.

2. Information we collect

Depending on how you use the App, we may process:

Account & authentication: If you use Sign in with Apple or Google, we receive identifiers and profile details permitted by that provider (for example, email and name where provided). If you use Guest mode, we create an anonymous Firebase account with a limited profile stored in Google Firebase (Firestore). Guest accounts cannot access Pro subscriptions or certain signed-in-only features.
Location: With your permission, we use device location (or saved locations you choose) to show local forecasts, maps, cloud cover, and notification relevance. Location may be stored in your Firebase user profile when the App updates it for alert features. You can revoke location access in iOS Settings at any time.
Saved locations: If you add custom locations in Settings, we store the names and coordinates you provide on your device and use them to show forecasts for those places.
Push notifications: If you enable alerts (for example, KP threshold or Aurora Now for Pro), we store a Firebase Cloud Messaging (FCM) device token and your notification preferences (including thresholds) in Firestore so our servers can send the alerts you choose.
Subscriptions & Pro entitlements: Purchases are processed by Apple. We do not receive your full payment card details. We use StoreKit to verify active subscriptions and may store subscription-related entitlement state on your account. Promotional Pro access (if granted separately) is recorded server-side with an expiry time; clients cannot modify that entitlement directly.
App preferences: We may store settings such as notification toggles, theme choices, dashboard layout, AI Insight preferences, offline-cache toggles, and similar options in Firestore and/or on your device.
Widgets & Live Activity: Home Screen widgets, Lock Screen widgets, and Live Activity read aurora/weather summary data from a shared App Group container on your device. That data is refreshed by the App and reflects your Pro status and latest fetched conditions. Widget data is not uploaded as a separate feed; it is derived from the same sources the App uses on device.
On-device & offline caches: The App may keep recent forecast snapshots on your device (for example, dashboard offline fallback or optional Pro offline aurora cache) so you can still see the last known conditions without a network connection. These caches stay on your device unless you clear app data or delete the App.
AI Insight (Pro, optional): If you are a Pro subscriber and enable AI Insight in Settings, the App may send a prompt to Google's generative AI service (Gemini) through Firebase AI Logic to produce short contextual text on the KP Index and Solar Wind detail screens. The prompt includes aurora/weather context such as your location label or coordinates, current KP, KP forecast values, solar wind speed/density/Bz, cloud cover percentage, and moon phase — not your name, email, or Apple/Google account id. AI responses are cached briefly in app memory to reduce repeat requests. AI Insight is a beta feature; output may be incomplete or incorrect and must not be relied on for safety-critical decisions.
Developer updates (in-app feed): The App may display "developer update" posts fetched from our database. Published posts are non-personal and may include text and images delivered via hosted URLs (including Firebase Storage).
Diagnostics & security: We use Firebase services (including Firebase App Check where enabled) to help protect backend access and improve stability. We do not use third-party advertising SDKs in the App.
Support & export: If you contact us or use in-app data export (where available), we process the information you provide or request (for example, support email content or a JSON export of your stored profile fields).

3. How we use information

We use information to:

Provide forecasts, maps, widgets, Live Activity, notifications, and core App functionality
Authenticate users, deliver Pro features, and associate entitlements with your account
Generate optional AI viewing context for Pro users who enable AI Insight
Display developer updates and operate this website
Improve reliability, prevent abuse, and enforce our Terms
Respond to support requests, data export requests, and legal requirements

4. AI & automated processing

AuroraWatch Pro may offer AI-generated summaries that interpret live space-weather and weather inputs for your area. This processing is optional (toggle in Settings → AI Insight), available only to Pro subscribers, and currently limited to contextual banners on the KP Index and Solar Wind detail screens.

When you use AI Insight, Google processes the prompt content described above as a service provider on our behalf via Firebase AI Logic. Google's handling of data sent to Gemini is also governed by Google's terms and privacy policies for those services. We do not use your AI prompts to train our own models; processing is performed to return a response to you in the App.

Do not enter sensitive personal information into any feature that sends text to an AI service. AI output is informational only and is not a substitute for official forecasts or your own judgment.

5. Legal bases (EEA/UK users)

Where GDPR/UK GDPR applies, we rely on appropriate bases such as performance of a contract (providing the App and Pro features), legitimate interests (security, product improvement, fraud prevention), and consent where required (for example, optional notifications, location access, and optional AI Insight where consent is the applicable basis in your region).

6. Sharing & processors

We share information with service providers as needed to run the App, including:

Google Firebase / Google Cloud: Authentication, Firestore database, Cloud Functions, Cloud Messaging, Storage, App Check, and Firebase AI Logic (Gemini).
Apple: Sign in with Apple, StoreKit subscriptions, WeatherKit (weather data), WidgetKit, Live Activities, and platform services.
Google Sign-In: If you choose Google authentication, Google processes sign-in according to Google's policies.
Public data sources: The App fetches space-weather and related data from public providers (for example, NOAA/SWPC) and may fetch cloud imagery from third-party public map sources. These requests generally do not include your personal information.

We do not sell your personal information. We may disclose information if required by law or to protect the rights, safety, and integrity of users and the service.

7. Retention

We retain account and preference information as long as needed to provide the App and for legitimate business purposes (for example, security, dispute resolution, and legal compliance). AI responses cached in app memory are short-lived (on the order of minutes). If you delete your account in the App, we delete or anonymize personal information associated with your account subject to legal exceptions and residual backups.

8. Your choices & rights

Depending on your region, you may have rights to access, correct, delete, or export personal information, and to object to or restrict certain processing. You can:

Manage location and notification permissions in iOS Settings
Turn AI Insight off in Settings → AI Insight (Pro)
Export account data from Settings where the export feature is available
Delete your account from Settings (where available)
Contact us below to exercise applicable privacy rights

9. Children

The App is not directed to children under 13 (or the minimum age required in your jurisdiction). We do not knowingly collect personal information from children.

10. International transfers

Our service providers (including Google and Apple) may process information in countries other than where you live. Where required, we use appropriate safeguards.

11. Changes

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. We will post the updated policy on this page and update the effective date. Material changes may also be noted in the App where appropriate.

12. Contact

Questions or privacy requests: aurorawatch.app@gmail.com