Privacy Policy

EssentialSail NMEA is designed with privacy as a core principle. We do NOT collect, store, process, or transmit any of the following:

• Personal identification information (name, email, phone number)
• Location data or GPS coordinates to any server
• Usage statistics, analytics, or telemetry
• Device identifiers (Android ID, IMEI, advertising ID)
• Contact information or address books
• Photos, media, files, or camera images
• Browsing history or search queries
• Health, fitness, or biometric data
• Messages, emails, or calendar events
• Audio, music, or video recordings

The App stores the following configuration data exclusively on your device using Android DataStore and SharedPreferences:

This data never leaves your device and is not accessible to us or any third party. Uninstalling the app permanently deletes all stored data.

The App requests the ACCESS_FINE_LOCATION and ACCESS_COARSE_LOCATION permissions for the following purposes only:

• Device GPS fallback: When configured to use "Device GPS" or "NMEA + Fallback" mode, the app reads your device's GPS to display your position on the AIS radar screen. This data is processed locally and never transmitted off your device.
• Wi-Fi network detection: Android requires location permission to scan and connect to Wi-Fi networks. This is used solely to auto-connect to your boat's NMEA Wi-Fi network.

Location data is never collected, stored, logged, or transmitted to any server.

The App connects to NMEA 0183 data sources on your local network only (typically your boat's Wi-Fi network) to receive navigation data such as depth, wind, speed, heading, and AIS vessel positions.

• All NMEA data is processed in real-time and displayed on screen
• No NMEA data is stored, logged, or recorded (unless you explicitly use the debug export feature)
• NMEA data never leaves your local network
• The debug report feature, when manually activated, creates a local file that you control

EssentialSail NMEA uses Google Play Billing as its sole payment system. Regarding billing data:

• All payment processing is handled entirely by Google Play — we never see, collect, or store your payment information (credit card, bank details, etc.)
• Google Play collects and processes payment data as described in Google's Privacy Policy
• Our app queries Google Play locally to check subscription status (active/expired) — this is a device-side verification, not a server call from us
• The app stores a local timestamp of first launch to manage the 7-day free trial period
• We do not maintain purchase history, transaction records, or financial data of any kind

The App makes only the following network connections:

The App does NOT connect to any developer-operated server, analytics service, advertising network, social media platform, or cloud service.

The App integrates the following third-party components:

• Google Play Billing Library (v7.0.0): Subscription management only. Data handling governed by Google's Privacy Policy
• libVLC (v4.0.0-eap23): RTSP video playback library. Runs entirely on-device with no network telemetry.
• Jetpack Compose, Navigation, DataStore: Android framework libraries. No data collection.

The App does NOT use:

• Firebase, Google Analytics, or any analytics SDK
• Crashlytics or any crash reporting service
• Advertising SDKs or ad networks
• Social media SDKs
• Cloud storage or synchronization services
• User tracking or attribution tools

• All locally stored data is protected by Android's application sandboxing
• The app uses R8 code obfuscation and shrinking in release builds
• Backup to Google Drive or ADB is disabled (allowBackup="false")
• Sensitive data (billing preferences, camera credentials) are excluded from any device transfer mechanism
• All communication with Google Play uses HTTPS encryption
• Debug logging is stripped from release builds

• All data is stored locally and retained only as long as the app is installed
• To delete all data: Uninstall the app, or go to Android Settings → Apps → EssentialSail NMEA → Clear Data
• There is no server-side data to delete because we do not collect or store any data remotely

EssentialSail NMEA is not directed at children. The App does not knowingly collect any personal information from anyone, including children under 13 years of age (or under 16 in the EEA). Since the App collects no personal data from any user, it is compliant with COPPA and applicable child privacy regulations.

Since EssentialSail NMEA does not collect, process, or transmit any personal data, the typical GDPR rights (access, rectification, erasure, portability) do not apply to data processing by us because no such processing occurs. All data resides exclusively on your device under your control.

For data processed by Google Play Billing, please refer to Google's Privacy Policy and their data management tools.

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. Any changes will be reflected in the "Last Updated" date at the top of this page. Continued use of the App after any changes constitutes acceptance of the updated policy. Significant changes will also be communicated through the app's update notes on Google Play.

If you have any questions or concerns about this Privacy Policy or the App's data practices, please contact us:

• Through the Google Play Store listing for EssentialSail NMEA — open the listing
• Via the contact information listed on the developer page in Google Play Console
• By email to support@essentialsail.com