iPhonotype app logo iPhonotype

Privacy Policy

Privacy policy for iPhonotype on iPhone and Mac.

Effective date: 16 April 2026 Applies to iPhonotype and iPhonotype Studio Contact: [email protected]

iPhonotype is designed around local capture and local analysis workflows. The iPhone app does not require an account to use core features, and the Mac companion is designed for direct local analysis rather than a mandatory cloud pipeline.

This policy explains what the apps process, which permissions they request, when data may move between your devices, and how you stay in control of your research and imaging data.

Local-first by default Core capture, storage, review, and analysis workflows are designed to run locally on iPhone and Mac.
No required account You do not need to sign in, create an account, or connect to a remote service to use core workflows.
You stay in control You choose when to export, share, or hand data off. The default workflow is not built around forced upload.

Information Handling

What the apps process locally

Scan data and images Capture data, images, videos, derived reports, and analysis packages are processed locally on your device or on your Mac companion when you choose to hand them off.
No required account The iPhone app does not require a user account to access core workflows such as experiment creation, capture, and local session storage.
No cloud-first workflow The core product workflow is designed around local storage and local device-to-device handoff, not mandatory cloud upload.
Derived reports and traits Measurements, masks, overlays, reconstructions, reports, and package metadata are processed locally as part of the scientific workflow.
Optional local AI on Mac When enabled, the Mac companion can run local language models so users can ask questions about scans and traits without sending data to the cloud.
No hidden data training path The workflow is designed so your scientific data remains yours instead of quietly feeding a remote AI training system.

What We Do Not Collect

What is not required for core use

No account registration The apps do not require a username, password, or cloud account for core capture and local review workflows.
No mandatory cloud upload Core use does not depend on uploading scans, images, or projects to a remote storage service.
No sale of data We do not position the product around selling user data, monetizing scan content, or reselling experimental information.

Permissions

Why permissions are requested

Camera Used for plant imaging, 3D scanning, root capture, 2D phenotyping, and other camera-based measurement workflows.
Microphone Used only when recording workflows that include video capture with audio, such as supported root video capture modes.
Photo Library Used only if you choose to import existing images into supported capture or phenotyping workflows.
Local Network Used to discover the optional Mac companion on the same network for local package handoff and model synchronization.
Location Optional. Used only when you choose workflows that save GPS-derived identifiers or capture coordinates in session metadata.

Data Transfer

When data leaves the device

Data leaves the iPhone only when you explicitly export it, share it, or hand it off to your Mac companion through the app’s local transfer workflows.

The macOS companion can then store and analyze that data locally on the Mac where it is installed. Different Macs and different macOS user accounts maintain separate local libraries unless files are transferred between them.

Desktop handoff is optional. The iPhone app remains usable on its own if you do not grant Local Network permission or do not use a Mac companion.

Retention and Deletion

How long data stays available

Data stays in your local app libraries until you delete it, export it, or remove the app and its associated storage. On macOS, separate machines and separate user accounts maintain separate local libraries unless you explicitly transfer packages between them.

  • Delete projects or packages inside the app if you no longer need them.
  • Remove exported files from your device or Mac if you want them gone from local storage.
  • Uninstalling the app may remove app-local data, depending on platform behavior and any files you exported elsewhere.

Contact

Questions about privacy

If you have questions about this policy or about how the app handles data, contact: [email protected]

If the app’s data practices change materially in the future, this page should be updated to reflect those changes.