Car Connect (“we,” “us,” “our”) cares about your privacy. This Privacy Policy explains exactly what data the Car Connect iOS application (“App”) accesses on your device, what data leaves your device, who we share it with, and what you can do about it.
If anything below is unclear, email us: support@addcarwidgets.com.
1. Plain-English Summary
- We do not require an account. No name, email, phone, or address.
- We do not sell your data. Ever.
- Most of what the App touches — your contacts, photos, microphone, trip routes — stays on your device.
- We do send a small set of anonymous data off your device for app functionality and analytics: your subscription state, anonymous identifiers, crash reports, and usage events.
- We send your approximate location to OpenWeatherMap and Google Maps so the weather widget and the in-app map can work.
- Your subscription is processed by Apple In-App Purchase. We never see your card or billing info.
2. Data the App Accesses ON YOUR DEVICE (never transmitted)
The App requests permission to use the following data because features inside the App need it. In every case below, the data stays on your iPhone and is never uploaded to our servers.
| What | Why | When |
|---|---|---|
| Contacts | Display contacts inside the in-app dialer so you can call from the dashboard | Only after you grant Contacts permission |
| Photos | Render photos into custom widgets you create | Only photos you explicitly pick with Apple's photo picker |
| Microphone | Record custom Connect / Disconnect chime sounds | Only while you actively tap Record |
| Motion & Fitness | Detect when you're driving vs. walking, to improve speedometer accuracy and auto-pause at stops | Continuous while a trip is being recorded; we do NOT collect heart rate, steps, or health data |
| Apple Music metadata | Read the current track title + artist to show the live-lyrics widget | While Apple Music is playing |
| Trip route, distance, max speed | Power the speedometer, trip history, sprint records | Stored in an on-device Realm database; you can delete trips inside the App |
| App preferences (units, wallpaper, saved car) | Personalise the App | Stored in iOS UserDefaults |
You can revoke any of these permissions at any time in iOS Settings → Privacy & Security → [Permission].
3. Data the App Transmits OFF YOUR DEVICE
This is the data that actually leaves your iPhone. Each item is anonymous — none of it is tied to your real-world identity, because we don't ask for it.
3.1 Precise Location
To: OpenWeatherMap (weather widget) and Google Maps (in-app map rendering).
Why: Weather forecasts are location-specific. The map needs to know which area to display.
What: Latitude and longitude with GPS-grade precision. Sent only when you actively use the weather widget or the map. Not stored after the request is served on our side; both providers have their own retention policies.
3.2 Anonymous User Identifier
To: Apphud (subscription manager), Firebase Analytics.
Why: Tracks whether you have an active subscription so the App can unlock premium features. Tracks anonymous usage so we can improve the App.
What: A random UUID generated on first launch. Not derived from anything personal.
3.3 Device Identifier
To: Firebase, Apphud, AppsFlyer.
Why:Lets analytics services distinguish your device from someone else's without knowing who you are.
What:Your iPhone's IDFV (per-vendor identifier — different for every app vendor). On its own, useless for identifying you.
3.4 Advertising Identifier (IDFA) — only with your consent
To: AppsFlyer (install attribution).
Why: Lets us measure whether an ad we ran led to your install.
What: Apple's IDFA — but only if you tap “Allow”on the App Tracking Transparency prompt. If you tap “Don't Allow,” we never read it; AppsFlyer falls back to Apple's SKAdNetwork (which is privacy-preserving by design).
3.5 Subscription Events
To: Apphud, Firebase Analytics.
What:“User started a trial,” “User completed a purchase,” “Purchase failed with reason X.” Includes the product identifier (e.g. “annual_subscription_19_99”) but never your payment details.
3.6 Product Interaction Events
To: Firebase Analytics.
What:Anonymous events like “opened the Speedometer tab,” “tapped Start,” “switched music source from Spotify to Apple Music.” Used to understand which features people use and which need improvement.
3.7 Crash Reports & Performance Traces
To: Bugsnag (only in shipped Release builds, not Debug).
What: Stack traces, device model, iOS version, app version. No personal data.
3.8 Support Requests (User-Initiated)
To: support@addcarwidgets.com (our team).
When:Only when you tap “Contact Support” in Settings and manually send an email.
What: The email body is pre-filled with your app version, iOS version, generic device type (iPhone/iPad), and locale to help us triage. You can edit or delete this information before sending. The email is sent through your own mail client; we do not access your message until you tap Send.
4. Third-Party Services
Each of these has its own privacy policy that applies in addition to ours:
- Apple In-App Purchase — handles all payments. apple.com/legal/privacy
- Apphud — subscription management. apphud.com/privacy
- Google Firebase (Analytics) — anonymous usage analytics. firebase.google.com/support/privacy
- Google Maps SDK — map rendering. policies.google.com/privacy
- Bugsnag (SmartBear) — crash + performance monitoring. smartbear.com/privacy-policy
- AppsFlyer — install attribution. appsflyer.com/legal/services-privacy-policy
- OpenWeatherMap — weather data. openweather.co.uk/privacy-policy
- Spotify — only if you choose to sign in for music playback. spotify.com/legal/privacy-policy
We do not sell, rent, or share your data with advertising networks or data brokers.
5. App Tracking Transparency (ATT)
On first launch we ask whether you allow tracking using Apple's ATT framework.
- Allow → AppsFlyer can read your IDFA for install attribution.
- Don't Allow → IDFA is never accessed. AppsFlyer uses SKAdNetwork instead.
You can change your choice anytime in iOS Settings → Privacy & Security → Tracking.
6. Data Retention
- On-device data (trips, widgets, photos, recordings, preferences) — stays until you delete it or uninstall the App.
- Firebase Analytics events — retained for up to 14 months by Google, then auto-purged.
- Bugsnag crash reports — retained for up to 30 days.
- Apphud subscription state — retained for the lifetime of your subscription.
7. Your Rights
Depending on where you live (EU/UK/California/etc.), you have the right to access, correct, delete, port, or object to certain processing of your personal data.
To exercise these rights, email support@addcarwidgets.com with the subject Privacy Request. We may ask for limited verification (App Store country + subscription receipt number) and aim to respond within 30 days.
You can also:
- Revoke any iOS permission (Location, Motion, Contacts, Photos, Microphone) in iOS Settings.
- Revoke ATT consent in iOS Settings → Privacy & Security → Tracking.
- Cancel your subscription in iOS Settings → [your name] → Subscriptions.
- Uninstall the App, which deletes all locally stored data.
Region-Specific Rights
California (CCPA / CPRA):You have the right to know, delete, correct, and opt out of “sale” or “sharing” of personal data. We do not sell or share personal data for cross-context behavioural advertising as defined under CCPA.
European Economic Area / United Kingdom (GDPR): Our legal bases for processing are:
- Your consent (ATT, Spotify sign-in)
- Performance of the subscription contract (subscription delivery, paywall features)
- Legitimate interest (App improvement via anonymous analytics, crash prevention)
You may lodge a complaint with your local data-protection authority.
8. Children
The App is intended for drivers (typically 18+) and rated 4+ on the App Store. We do not knowingly collect data from children under 13. If you believe a child under 13 has used the App, contact us and we will delete any associated data.
9. International Transfers
Our third-party processors operate globally. By using the App, you understand that data may be processed in the United States and other countries. Where required by law, we rely on Standard Contractual Clauses (or equivalent safeguards).
10. Security
- All network traffic uses HTTPS.
- Sensitive third-party tokens (e.g. Spotify OAuth) are stored in iOS Keychain or the sandboxed App Group container.
- Payment data is never transmitted to us — Apple handles it.
No system is perfectly secure, but we follow industry best practices.
11. Changes
We may update this Privacy Policy. Material changes will be announced in-App and reflected by an updated “Last Updated” date at the top. Continued use after a change is acceptance.
12. Contact
Email support@addcarwidgets.com.