Summary
There is no account and no sign-up. Your history, favourites and writing practice stay on your iPhone. Handwriting and text in photos are recognised on the device. When you look up a word that is not on your iPhone yet, the word is sent to our online dictionary. The app also uses Google services (Firebase, AdMob) to measure usage, report crashes and show ads.
Data that stays on your device
- History and favourites, your writing practice (best and last score per character, characters written per day) and your settings.
- Downloaded dictionary languages and the stroke order pack.
- Words recently not found, so they are not looked up again right away.
- Handwriting: the character you draw is recognised on your iPhone with Google ML Kit. The app does not send your drawings anywhere.
- Photos: text in a photo you take or choose is read on your iPhone with Apple’s Vision framework. Photos are not uploaded.
- Pronunciation is spoken by the iPhone’s own voice; writing worksheets (PDF) are made on the device and only leave it if you share or print them.
Data that is sent
| Service | What it receives | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Google ML Kit | A one-time download of the handwriting model for the recognition language. Google’s SDK may send technical and usage information about the model. | Handwriting recognition |
| Google Analytics for Firebase | Screens opened and actions (never the word you looked up), a random ID created by the app, device model, iOS version, country; for purchases: the product, price, currency and transaction ID | Learn which features are used, to improve the app |
| Firebase Crashlytics | Crash and error reports: where in the code it failed, device model, app version, the same random ID; when a character has no stroke animation, which character it is | Fix bugs |
| Google AdMob | The advertising identifier (IDFA) only if you allow tracking; otherwise ads are served without it. In the EEA, the UK and some US states the app asks for your consent first; change it in More › Ad privacy settings | Show ads in the free version |
Google’s policy: policies.google.com/privacy. We do not sell data and do not use it to track you across other companies’ apps or websites, except for AdMob ads when you have allowed it.
Permissions
- Camera: to read Chinese text from a photo you take. Asked the first time you use it.
- Photos: to read Chinese text from an image you choose; the app only sees the photo you pick.
- Tracking (ATT): used only for ads, as above. Change it in Settings › Privacy & Security › Tracking.
Purchases
Lifetime, Unlock Search and Writing Practice are bought through the App Store. Apple handles the payment; we never receive your payment details. The app only knows which purchases you own, and Analytics records the purchase as listed above.
Deleting your data
Clear your history in History › Clear, and remove a favourite by tapping its star. Deleting the app removes everything it saved on your iPhone. Dictionary entries in our online dictionary are not linked to you and stay available to every user.
Contact
ICHITECH · ichitech89@gmail.com. When this policy changes, the date at the top of the page changes with it.