Trails App Privacy Policy

About Trails

Trails (also referred to as “the app”) is a mobile application created by the Trails App Services UG (haftungsbeschränkt) (“us” or “we”), who also operates the supporting Trails.io web service (“Trails.io” or “our server”).

By using and accessing the app, you agree to the terms of this policy.

Data Collection

Trails can collect and store the following data:

  • Position: Location (incl. altitude), speed, direction, timestamp
  • Movement (if your device supports this): Number of steps taken, predicted type of activity (walking, cycling,…)
  • Environment (if your device supports this): Air pressure
  • Health data: Heart rate (via external devices (incl. Apple Watch) connected to Trails or the Health app), active energy (requires an Apple Watch)
  • Data from external devices: Bicycle cadence (pedal rate) and speed
  • Photos: Trails allows you to capture photos – this is never done automatically

More data and statistics may be derived from the above-mentioned sources.

Your data will never be commercialized, monetized, or otherwise exploited. In particular, that means we will never use your data for purposes of advertising, nor will we, for example, sell your data to insurance or other firms.

Data Storage

Trails stores all data locally on your device. You can delete individual tracks within the app, or uninstall the app to delete all data.

Trails allows you to create and export backups of your locally saved data via Settings > Backup and restore.

If you are logged in to iCloud and have enabled its backup option, your Trails data will be backed up to your iCloud account, i.e., uploaded to Apple’s servers.

The app has a built-in web server which you can enable via Settings > WiFi sharing. This enables you to view your recorded tracks on a Mac or PC, without sharing them on the internet; this server makes your Trails information available via the local WiFi network. Therefore, you should only enable this feature while connected to a WiFi network you trust (e.g. at home).

Integration with Apple Health App

You may opt to integrate Trails with your personal Apple Health app database. If you grant Trails access to this database, Trails will save (if applicable and supported) total distances, step counts, locations, and general workout information after each recording to Apple’s Health app database. When you delete or edit tracks, the Health information is updated accordingly (given Trails still has permission to do so).

If you allow Trails to read your heart rate and/or active energy information from your personal Apple Health app database, Trails can save this information along with your track recordings in its own database.

Trails cannot read from or write to your Apple Health app database unless you give it explicit permission to do so. You can review and change permissions in the Health app under Sources > Trails.

Trails is in no way responsible for the protection of data stored in Apple’s Health app database. You and Apple are solely responsible for such information in said database. Please review Apple’s applicable policies before granting Trails access to your personal Apple Health app database.

Data Export

Trails will never automatically upload your data to the internet (apart from iCloud system backups, see above).

Trails does enable you to share the above-mentioned recorded track data with others as a GPX file. Such files may contain the above-mentioned data, but no identifying information, such as your name or email address, will be included.

The app provides several ways in which you can share this data with others:

Share as a GPX File

You can share GPX files directly using system integrations (Mail, Files,…) or third-party apps.

Third-party apps on your device may provide extensions, allowing you to export individual tracks from Trails as GPX files to other services, such as Dropbox. This requires explicit interaction on your part, and will never be initiated by Trails automatically. Please review the respective app’s privacy policy.

Trails.io (“Weblink”)

You can share individual tracks via Twitter, Facebook or similar services. Trails will upload the chosen track to Trails.io such that others will be able to view it. A URL (web address) will be generated on Trails.io where the track will be visible, along with the possibility to download the track as GPX file.

If you register a Trails.io account, the tracks uploaded to our server will be tied to this account. Your account details will not be made visible to others, meaning that third parties will not be able to associate uploaded tracks to you personally — unless of course you publish a link to your track on Twitter or Facebook etc. in your name. Associating your tracks with your Trails.io account allows us, at your request via support@trails.io, to delete all of your data from our server. After deletion, the data will be inaccessible immediately, but it may take up to 35 days until your data is deleted from all of our backups.

If you do not have a Trails.io account, an anonymous user account will be created and stored on your device. The tracks uploaded to our server will be tied to this anonymous account. If you later register a Trails.io account on the same device (without deinstalling the app in between), your anonymous user account will be merged with your Trails.io account and previously uploaded tracks will be linked to your account.

Export to GPSies or OpenStreetMap

Trails provides the possibility to upload individual tracks to various online GPX route-sharing services. We currently support logging in to and uploading to GPSies.com and OpenStreetMap.org. Data uploaded will be linked to your user account on the corresponding service and marked as private, i.e. visible only via your account. Please review the respective services’ privacy policies before uploading your tracks.

Basic Usage Statistics

We would like your help to improve the quality and performance of Trails. The app can automatically collect diagnostic and usage information and send it to us for analysis.

You can choose to turn off diagnostics altogether. To do so, open Trails’ settings, choose Privacy, and disable the “Share basic usage data” option. If the setting is disabled, no information is collected or sent.

If you limit ad tracking in the system settings (Privacy > Advertising), Trails’ “Share basic usage data” setting will be disabled by default.

Diagnostic and usage information may include details about hardware and operating system specifications, performance statistics, and data about how the app is used. Only general information is collected, such as which screens are viewed, and the duration of recordings. Your recordings, locations, and other personal information are never sent as part of the diagnostics. None of the collected information identifies you personally.

We use a third party service (Google Analytics) to aggregate, analyze, and better understand the data. All aggregated data is deleted automatically after 26 months.

Privacy Policy Updates

We reserve the right to update or modify this privacy policy. This might become necessary, e.g., when we make changes to our services. Please review this policy periodically, especially before providing personal information to Trails.

The privacy policy was last changed at the date indicated at the end of this page. Any changes made to this policy will become effective when we publish the revised policy here. Your continued use of our app shall indicate your acceptance of such revisions.

Contact us

If you have any questions regarding this privacy policy, please contact us on support.trails.io or via email: support@trails.io.

Last updated: 23nd May 2018