Compass App — Privacy Policy

NextOne Labs — Last updated: February 22, 2026

Summary: Compass is designed with privacy at its core. We do not collect, store, or share your personal data. Your location data never leaves your device. There are no user accounts, no analytics tracking, and no third-party data sharing.

1. Information We Do Not Collect

Compass does not collect any personally identifiable information. Specifically, we do not collect:

Names, email addresses, or contact information
Location history or GPS coordinates
Device identifiers or fingerprints
Usage analytics or behavioral data
Photos, camera data, or media files

2. Data That Stays on Your Device

Compass stores the following data locally on your device only:

Saved waypoints: GPS coordinates, names, icons, and colors you assign to saved locations. This data is stored in a local database on your device and is never transmitted to any server.
User preferences: Your chosen settings such as theme, units, north reference, dial style, and other configuration options. These are stored using Android DataStore on your device.
Recorded tracks: If you use the track recording feature, GPS trail data is stored locally on your device.

You can delete all locally stored data at any time by clearing the app's data in your device settings, or by uninstalling the app.

3. Permissions

Compass requests only the minimum permissions necessary for its features to function:

Location (ACCESS_FINE_LOCATION, ACCESS_COARSE_LOCATION): Used to determine your position for true north calculation (magnetic declination correction), waypoint navigation, backtracking, speed measurement, and sun/moon position calculations. Location data is processed on-device and is never transmitted externally.
Camera (CAMERA): Used only when you open the AR Compass or Sighting mode screen. Camera data is processed in real-time on-device and is never recorded, stored, or transmitted.
Foreground Service (FOREGROUND_SERVICE_LOCATION): Used to maintain GPS tracking when recording a track with the screen off. This only runs when you explicitly start track recording.
Vibration (VIBRATE): Used for optional haptic feedback at cardinal points.
Internet (INTERNET, ACCESS_NETWORK_STATE): Used solely for displaying ads via Google AdMob and for loading map tiles when using the map feature. No personal data is transmitted by the app itself.

All permissions are requested at the point of use, not at app startup. You can deny any permission and continue using the features that don't require it.

4. Third-Party Services

Compass integrates the following third-party services:

Google AdMob: Compass displays ads provided by Google AdMob. AdMob may collect certain device information and use advertising identifiers as described in Google's Privacy Policy. You can opt out of personalized advertising through your device's ad settings.
Google Play Services: Used for location services and Wear OS companion communication. Subject to Google's Privacy Policy.

Other than these services, Compass does not share any data with third parties.

5. Background Location

Compass does not access your location in the background under normal use. The only exception is when you explicitly start a track recording session, which uses a foreground service with a persistent notification. You are always aware when location is being accessed, and you can stop it at any time.

6. Data Export

Compass allows you to export your saved waypoints in GPX, KML, JSON, and CSV formats. This export is initiated by you and saved to a location you choose on your device. Exported files are not transmitted to any server.

7. Children's Privacy

Compass does not knowingly collect any personal information from children under the age of 13. Since we do not collect personal information from any user, this applies universally.

8. Data Security

Since all user data is stored locally on your device, data security is managed by your device's built-in encryption and security mechanisms. We recommend keeping your device's operating system up to date and using a screen lock to protect your data.

9. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. Any changes will be reflected on this page with an updated "Last updated" date. We encourage you to review this page periodically. Continued use of the app after changes constitutes acceptance of the updated policy.

10. Contact Us

If you have any questions or concerns about this Privacy Policy or the Compass app, please contact us at:

NextOne Labs
Email: hello@nextonelabs.com