Privacy Policy
Summary
Chawan does not run a server and does not collect your data. Everything you enter, brews, tins, journal notes, photos, and settings, stays on your device. If you turn on iCloud sync, that data travels through your own private iCloud account. OrbonTech cannot see it, cannot read it, and does not receive a copy of it.
There is no account, no login, no ads, and no third-party analytics or tracking software in the app. Nothing is sold or shared with anyone.
What is stored, and where
Chawan stores your tins, brews, journal entries, recipes and guides you've favorited, tin photos, and app settings using Apple's on-device database (SwiftData). This data lives on your device.
If you have iCloud enabled on your phone and leave Chawan's sync setting on (the default), that same data is mirrored to your own private CloudKit database, a storage area tied to your personal Apple ID. Apple operates that storage. OrbonTech has no access to it and cannot read any of your tins, brews, journal entries, or photos, even if asked to.
You can turn sync off at any time in Settings.
What is not collected
Chawan does not collect, transmit, or receive:
- Your name, email address, or any account information (there is no account)
- Usage analytics or crash reports sent to a developer server
- Advertising identifiers
- Any data used to track you across other apps or websites
There are no third-party analytics or advertising software development kits (SDKs) built into Chawan.
Apple Health
If you turn on "Write caffeine to Health" in Settings, Chawan writes a dietary caffeine entry to Apple Health each time you log a serving. This is write-only: Chawan never reads any other data from Health, and the caffeine entries it writes never leave your device except through Apple's own Health sync between your own devices. Turning this setting off stops future writes; past entries can be removed from the Health app directly.
Location
Chawan requests your location only when you open the "Matcha near me" screen, used to find matcha cafes nearby with Apple's MapKit search. Your location is not stored and is not used anywhere else in the app. If you save a place as a favorite, Chawan stores only that place's name and coordinates, not your location history.
Photos
If you add a photo to a tin, the picture you choose is stored inside Chawan's own data (on your device, and in your private iCloud database if sync is on). Chawan does not access your photo library beyond the picture you pick.
Notifications
Reminders (first-bowl, low-stock, sleep cutoff) are local notifications scheduled on your device by iOS. There is no push server. Notifications are based only on settings you configure, and you can turn any of them off in Settings.
Purchases
Chawan Pro is a one-time purchase handled entirely by Apple through the App Store. OrbonTech never sees your payment details and receives only confirmation that a purchase was made.
Caffeine estimates
The caffeine and L-theanine figures in Chawan are estimates based on published averages for matcha, coffee, and tea. They are not a lab measurement of what you actually drank and are not medical advice. Talk to a doctor about your own caffeine intake if you have health concerns.
Third parties
Chawan does not share, sell, or transfer your data to any third party. The only outside service involved is Apple, through iCloud (if you enable sync), Apple Health (if you enable the Health write), and the App Store (for purchases). Each is governed by Apple's own privacy policy.
Children
Chawan is not directed at children under 13, and OrbonTech does not knowingly collect data from children.
Retention and deletion
Because Chawan has no server, there is nothing stored outside your own device and your own iCloud account. To remove your data:
- Delete everything through the app: Settings -> iCloud -> Delete all data.
- Delete the app: Deleting Chawan removes its on-device data. To also remove data already synced to iCloud, go to your iPhone's Settings -> [your name] -> iCloud -> manage storage, find Chawan, and delete its data there.
Changes to this policy
If this policy changes, the updated version will be posted on this page with a new effective date at the top.
Contact
Questions about this policy: [email protected]
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