Privacy Policy

Who We Are

This privacy policy covers APOD Mate, which is operated by Darren Wood, together with the related website or services described here. It covers the app on iOS, iPadOS, macOS, and watchOS.

What Data We Collect

Information users provide directly may include:

• Account and profile details such as Account identifier
• Files, documents, or user-generated content handled through the app
• Location data when people enable location-based features

Information collected automatically through the app or related services may include:

• Identifiers needed to recognize an account, device, session, or subscription state
• Advertising identifiers and device information collected by our advertising provider, if you use the free (ad-supported) version of the app

Account access may use sign-in methods such as Sign in with Apple. Additional account details: we store randomly generated or user provided display names only.

Some data leaves the device to support app functionality such as accounts, syncing, purchases, support, or other online features.

How We Use Data

We use your data in a variety of ways, including:

• To manage billing-related access and entitlements.
• To send Content updates.
• To provide the AI feature the user chose to use.
• To show and measure advertising in the free version of the app.

The following providers are used:

• Website Hosting: DigitalOcean. Used for hosting the marketing site and backend service.
• Advertising: Google AdMob. Used to show banner and interstitial ads in the free version of the app (iOS only). Ads are personalized only if you consent through Google's User Messaging Platform and grant App Tracking Transparency permission; otherwise AdMob still serves non-personalized ads using less data. You can remove ads entirely with an in-app purchase.

Additional feature details:

• Location: Used to provide astronomical seeing conditions.

When Data is Shared

When an app feature needs online processing, syncing, account handling, or support, relevant data may be sent off the device to operate that feature.

Some data is shared with outside service providers that help operate the app or related services.

The following providers are used:

• Website Hosting: DigitalOcean. Used for hosting the marketing site and backend service.
• Advertising: Google AdMob. Receives advertising identifiers and device information to show and measure ads in the free version of the app.

Payments and Subscriptions

The app offers in-app purchases or subscriptions through StoreKit.

Advertising

The free version of the app (iOS only) shows banner and interstitial ads served by Google AdMob. Before ads are shown, we ask for your consent to ad personalization through Google's User Messaging Platform, where required by law, and separately request App Tracking Transparency permission from Apple. If you decline either, or aren't asked because of your region, you still see ads, but they are not personalized using your device's advertising identifier.

To serve and measure ads, AdMob and its partner ad networks may collect device identifiers, coarse location, and app interaction data. This data is handled under Google's own privacy policy. You can remove ads entirely, and stop this data collection, with an in-app purchase.

Social Logins and Public Features

The app may let people register or sign in using Sign in with Apple. When someone signs in this way, we may receive account or profile details such as Account identifier.

The app or related services include Comments. Information people post or share through these features may be visible to other users or to the public, depending on how the feature works.

Data Retention

We keep data until the user deletes it, closes the account, or asks us to remove it, unless a longer retention period is legally required.

Security

We use reasonable technical and organizational measures to protect data, but no method of storage or transmission can be guaranteed to be completely secure.

Your Choices and Rights

Some permissions are optional and are only used if the user chooses the feature that needs them.

Users can ask for deletion of their data using the contact or tools described below.

Where supported, users can request account closure or account-related deletion.

Requests can be handled through Contact email, In-app deletion tools, and In-app export tools.

For users in the EEA or UK, applicable law may provide rights to access, correct, delete, restrict, or object to certain processing, and to request a copy of personal data.

AI Features

The app includes AI-powered features. When a user chooses to use those features, prompts, uploads, or related content may be sent to an AI provider to return a result.

AI usage is optional and only happens if the user chooses the AI feature.

AI-related inputs or outputs are not retained beyond the processing needed to provide the feature.

Third-Party Websites and Services

Comments, forums, and community areas on the related website may make submitted information visible to other users or to the public.

The following providers are used:

• Website Hosting: DigitalOcean. Used for hosting the marketing site and backend service.
• Advertising: Google AdMob. Used to show and measure ads in the free version of the app. See Google's Privacy Policy for how it handles data.

Contact Us

• Email: support@darrenwood.codes
• Support: https://apm.darrenwood.codes/support
• Website: https://apm.darrenwood.codes