Privacy Policy

1. Scope and product versions

This policy applies to the NowStatus App Store release and TestFlight builds. Core status, schedule, class, and widget features work on device. After using Sign in with Apple, you can enable personal iCloud sync and encrypted one-partner sharing.

NowStatus is a new app identity with bundle ID com.nowstatus.app, App Group group.com.nowstatus.app, and CloudKit container iCloud.com.nowstatus.app. It starts with empty data and does not migrate, access, or delete data, partner relationships, or cloud records belonging to earlier app identities; those older resources remain separate.

Sign in with Apple is the account entry point. The device's system iCloud account is the identity used for CloudKit isolation and cross-device recovery. A different iCloud account starts a separate first-sync flow and is never merged automatically.

2. Data stored on your device

Your profile, avatar, statuses, emoji, colors, status images, classes, schedules, imported items, and preferences are first stored on your device. They are used to show the app and widgets, calculate schedules, and provide features you choose to use.

This personal content is not sent to a developer-operated server. NowStatus has no third-party advertising or analytics SDKs. After you sign in and enable Apple services, the listed data is handled by Apple CloudKit; if partner-widget wake is enabled, the developer-operated relay separately handles the minimum push-routing data described in Sections 4 and 5.

3. Optional system permissions

• Photos: NowStatus only receives an image you explicitly select for an avatar or status image. Your photo library and selected original are not uploaded. With personal iCloud sync enabled, NowStatus syncs only a metadata-free, cropped, and compressed 512 × 512 JPEG copy of an avatar or status image. After pairing, your profile-avatar style is shared automatically; a photo avatar is limited to a separately created, metadata-free, center-cropped, compressed, end-to-end encrypted 128 × 128 copy. A current status image may use a separate copy of the same size.
• Calendar: after you grant access and choose a date range, NowStatus reads matching events so you can review and import them as on-device plans. Your complete calendar is not uploaded to the developer.
• Health: after you enable sleep recognition and grant permission, NowStatus reads Apple Health sleep stages to switch your sleep status on this device. Raw Health data is not uploaded to the developer.
• Approximate Location: only after you enable weather on the Now page, NowStatus uses a one-time approximate location while the app is open to request current conditions from Apple Weather. It does not request precise, Always, or background location and does not save or share your city, coordinates, or travel history.
• Widgets and Focus Filters: the app and its Apple extensions use an App Group to exchange the minimum local settings and status snapshot required for the feature.

4. Apple account, iCloud, and partner sharing

Sign in with Apple is used to enter the account and enable network features. NowStatus asks Apple for an email address and attempts to display one locally in this order: the current system response, a verified email claim in the current identity token, then a previously saved value in the device Keychain. Apple normally lets you choose whether to share or hide your email only on the first authorization. Your Apple user identifier, email address, identity token, and authorization code are not uploaded as personal-sync content and are not used as the sync key.

When personal iCloud sync is enabled, your profile, processed avatar, status library and processed status images, language and appearance, accent color, region and workdays, public-holiday setting, quick durations, semesters and class periods, classes, regular plans, all-day reminders, single-day changes, current manual status, custom partner alias, selected sleep status and automation intent, and an established one-partner binding are stored in the CloudKit private database belonging to the current device's iCloud account. A new device restores sleep preferences, but HealthKit and Focus still require authorization or setup on that device. To restore the relationship on another device using the same iCloud account, personal sync stores stable encrypted binding material: the random channel, long-term end-to-end key, both CloudKit creator and record identifiers, and the partner name. Device-specific send and receive sequences, cached partner status, QR codes, and unfinished pairing sessions are not synchronized. Structured content uses CloudKit encrypted fields, and processed images use encrypted CloudKit assets. This feature does not use a developer-operated server. Raw Health data, sleep detection results, your complete system calendar, system permissions, Apple user identifiers, email, and login credentials are not included in personal sync.

On first use, NowStatus uploads local data when the cloud is empty, restores cloud data when the device still has default empty data, or asks you to merge, use iCloud, or keep local data when both sides contain content. If the device changes to a different iCloud account, NowStatus starts this first-sync flow again and does not automatically upload the previous account's local data.

One-partner sharing uses a separate data flow. Status content is encrypted end to end on the paired devices; CloudKit's public database stores ciphertext and minimum routing metadata, not readable status content. After ciphertext is successfully written to CloudKit, a developer-operated relay may send the partner's WidgetKit push token a content-free wake request so the system can refresh the widget and fetch, validate, and decrypt the latest CloudKit record. iOS schedules these pushes, so delivery at a fixed time or in real time is not guaranteed.

Shared content can include a random channel identifier, display name, processed profile avatar, abstract status, contact preference, icon and color, expected end time, update time, time zone, and up to eight minimal schedule summaries for the day. Emoji and monogram avatars share only the character, style, and color; a photo avatar shares only a separately encrypted, metadata-free, center-cropped and compressed 128 × 128 copy. If you enable weather, sharing may also include a condition code, current temperature, observation time, and expiry, but never a city, coordinates, or travel history. A selected current status image may use a separate encrypted thumbnail of the same size. Sharing does not include raw Health data, a complete calendar, attendees, teachers, notes, meeting links, original avatar or status images, or your photo library.

5. Collection, selling, and tracking

NowStatus does not send personal content to a developer-operated server, sell personal data, run third-party ads, perform cross-app tracking, or use third-party analytics services. The partner-widget wake relay receives only a 128-bit pseudonymous pair identifier, a pseudonymous endpoint identifier, the WidgetKit push token, development or production environment, a SHA-256 digest of the authorization value, registration update time, and content-free wake event identifier and monotonic sequence. It does not receive avatars, names, statuses, contact preferences, schedules, weather, CloudKit record names, Apple account identifiers, or the end-to-end key. Transport uses HTTPS and token storage is access-controlled. Registration is requested for deletion when a pairing is removed and is automatically deleted after 45 days without a refresh. When network features are enabled, Apple processes the data required for Sign in with Apple, iCloud, APNs push notifications, and real-time Apple Weather requests under its terms.

Apple provides and governs the App Store, TestFlight, iCloud, Health, Photos, Calendar, device backup, and system permission services under Apple's own terms and policies.

6. Retention, deletion, and permissions

Local records remain until you edit or delete them in NowStatus, or sign out. When you actively sign out, NowStatus first attempts a final personal iCloud sync. After that sync succeeds, it clears profile, status, schedule, class, partner-credential, and widget-cache data from this device without deleting synchronized private iCloud data. If sync fails, NowStatus keeps the local data and account session by default; it continues only if you separately choose to discard unsynchronized changes. Signing back in with the same iCloud account can restore from its private database. Signing in with another account does not expose or upload the previous account's local content. Uninstalling the app removes its local container from that device, but personal iCloud data and Apple device backups you control may remain. You can revoke Photos, Calendar, Health, or Location access at any time in iOS Settings or the Health app. Turning weather off immediately deletes its local cache and tells your partner to clear that weather result during the next available end-to-end encrypted sync.

When you delete the account, NowStatus first requests deletion of the private CloudKit zone, including processed avatar and status-image assets, and known partner cloud data. It clears local data only after cloud deletion succeeds. If the network or iCloud is temporarily unavailable, NowStatus does not claim that cloud deletion is complete. Disconnecting a partner separately stops future sharing, requests deletion of this device's relay registration, and clears cached partner status and avatar data; if the relay is offline, registration is automatically deleted after 45 days without a refresh. Encrypted shared avatar and status-image copies are replaced or deleted when they change or are cleared.

7. Children

NowStatus is not directed to children under 13 and is not offered in the Kids Category. Invited partner-sharing tests are intended for adults.

8. Contact and support

For help with NowStatus or questions about this policy, visit the NowStatus Support page. TestFlight testers may also use Apple's TestFlight feedback feature.

9. Changes to this policy

We may update this policy when features, system requirements, or applicable rules change. The current version and effective date appear at the top of this page. Material changes will be communicated in an appropriate in-app manner.