Privacy Policy

App: Echo · Data controller: Tilek Koszhanov (individual developer)
Last updated: 22 June 2026

Echo is built to be private. We do not require an account, we do not sell your data, and we do not include advertising, analytics SDKs, or tracking. Echo only listens when you tap to record — there is no background listening and no wake word. This policy explains exactly what data the App processes, why, and who it is shared with. It applies to the Echo iPhone app, its Apple Watch app, and the Control Center quick-launch.

1. Who we are

The App is provided by Tilek Koszhanov, an individual developer ("we", "us"). For any privacy question or request, contact koszhanov.tilek@icloud.com.

2. What we process, and why

DataPurposeStored by us?
Voice recording you capture (the short audio clip recorded while you hold or tap the microphone to speak a command) To convert your speech into text so we can understand your request No — processed in transit only, not retained on our servers
Transcribed text and parsed intent (the text of what you said, plus the structured request derived from it — e.g. a title, date or time) To understand what reminder or calendar event you want and build a confirmation card No — processed in transit only, not retained on our servers
Existing item hints (when you ask Echo to update something, a compact summary — such as the title — of the recently captured item you are editing) To let the model match your follow-up to the right existing item No — processed in transit only, not retained on our servers
Reminders & Calendar entries Echo creates or updates To carry out the action you confirmed Stored by Apple in your own Reminders and Calendar (on your device and your iCloud, if enabled); not uploaded to us
Recently captured list & app settings (your capture history shown in the app, chosen language, consent state, subscription status) To show your recent captures and make the App work the way you set it up Stored only on your device (and shared with the Watch app via Apple's connectivity); not uploaded to us
Subscription identifier (a RevenueCat app user ID) To verify that Echo Pro is unlocked by an active subscription Handled by RevenueCat; we do not maintain our own account database

We do not create user accounts, and we do not collect your name, email, contacts, photos, precise location, or browsing history through the App. Echo does not use geolocation or maps.

3. How recording works

The microphone is active only while you actively start a capture by tapping the microphone button (on iPhone, Apple Watch, or via the Control Center control), and only for the length of that command. Echo does not listen in the background, has no wake word, and does not transmit anything until you speak a command. Audio leaves your device only at the moment you ask Echo to process what you said.

4. How AI processing works (data flow)

When you record a command, the audio clip is sent over an encrypted (HTTPS) connection to our processing service (a serverless function hosted on Vercel, the "Echo proxy"). Our service forwards the audio to a third-party AI provider (currently OpenAI) for speech-to-text (gpt-4o-transcribe), then sends the resulting text to OpenAI again (gpt-4o-mini) to extract a structured request (the title, type, and any date or time). The structured result is returned to your device, where Echo computes exact dates and shows you a confirmation card. Your audio and text pass through our service to produce the result and are not stored by us afterwards.

The AI provider processes your audio and text under its own API terms and privacy/data-usage policies. As of the date above, OpenAI states that data submitted via its API is not used to train its models by default. We do not control this third party; please review:

5. Microphone, Reminders and Calendar permissions

iOS asks your permission before Echo can use the microphone and before it can read or write your Reminders and Calendar. Echo uses these permissions solely to (a) record the command you choose to speak, and (b) create or update the reminders and calendar events you confirm. Reminders and Calendar access stays on your device and in your own Apple account; the contents of your existing reminders and calendar are not sent to us, except for the short "item hint" described above when you explicitly ask Echo to update a recent capture. Without these permissions, the corresponding features cannot work.

6. Reminders without a time

A reminder created without a date or time will appear in your Reminders list but will not send you a notification. Echo's confirmation card therefore offers you a time (or an explicit "no reminder" option) so you can decide. You should not rely on Echo to alert you about anything time-critical unless you set a time and confirm it.

7. Subscriptions and payments

Purchases are processed by Apple; we never receive your card or payment details. Subscription status is managed through RevenueCat, which processes the subscription identifier described above to tell the App whether your subscription is active. See RevenueCat's privacy policy and Apple's privacy policy.

8. Who we share data with

We share data only with the service providers needed to run the App: the AI provider (OpenAI) for transcription and understanding your request; Vercel as our hosting/processing infrastructure; and Apple and RevenueCat for subscriptions. Reminders and calendar data is stored by Apple in your own account. We do not sell personal data and do not share it for advertising. We may disclose data if required by law or to protect our rights.

9. International transfers

Our providers may process data on servers located outside your country, including the United States. Where required, such transfers rely on appropriate safeguards (for example, the providers' standard contractual clauses).

10. Retention

We do not retain your audio, transcribed text, or parsed requests after producing a result. Your "Recently captured" list and settings remain on your device until you change them or delete the App. Reminders and calendar entries remain in your Apple account until you delete them.

11. Legal bases (EEA/UK users)

Where the GDPR or UK GDPR applies, we process data to perform our contract with you (turning your voice into reminders and events and managing subscriptions), based on your consent for voice and AI processing (which you give in the App before first use and can withdraw by not recording commands or by deleting the App), and based on our legitimate interests in keeping the service reliable and preventing abuse.

12. Your rights

Depending on where you live, you may have rights to access, correct, delete, or restrict processing of your personal data, to object, to portability, and to lodge a complaint with a supervisory authority. Because we do not maintain accounts and do not retain your audio or text, most data is held only on your device (and in your own Apple account) and can be removed by deleting it or deleting the App. For other requests, contact us at the email above and we will respond as required by law. California residents: we do not "sell" or "share" personal information as defined by the CCPA/CPRA.

13. Security

Data in transit is protected with encryption (HTTPS/TLS), our AI provider API key is kept on our server and is never shipped in the App (the App talks only to our proxy, protected by a secret token stored in the device Keychain), and we minimise what we collect and store. No method of transmission or storage is completely secure, so we cannot guarantee absolute security.

14. Children

The App is not directed to children under 13 (or the higher minimum age in your country), and we do not knowingly collect data from them. If you believe a child has provided us data, contact us and we will delete it.

15. Changes to this policy

We may update this policy from time to time. The "Last updated" date reflects the current version, and material changes will be shown in the App or on this page.

16. Contact

Tilek Koszhanov — koszhanov.tilek@icloud.com