Phi Launcher (“the App”) is developed and maintained by Aryan Srivastava & Aryan Poonia (“we,” “our,” or “us”). This Privacy Policy explains how we handle your information when you use the App. Your privacy is our top priority.
1. Information We Collect
Our guiding principle is to collect the minimum amount of data necessary. We do not collect personally identifiable information (PII) that you don't provide.
a) Information You Provide Voluntarily:
For features like the "Dev Panel," you may provide your usernames for third-party services (e.g., LeetCode, Codeforces). This information is sent directly to those services' public APIs to fetch your profile data and is stored locally on your device.
b) Anonymous Usage & Crash Data (Analytics):
If you provide consent during the app's setup, we use Google's Firebase services to collect anonymous, aggregated data to help us improve the app and fix bugs. This includes:
Firebase Crashlytics: If the app crashes, this service sends us an anonymous report with technical information (e.g., device type, OS version, and the location of the crash in the code) so we can find and fix the bug.
This data collection is optional. You can opt-out at any time from the app's permission screen or settings. For more information, you can review Google's Privacy Policy.
2. In-App Purchases
Phi Launcher offers optional premium features through a one-time purchase, managed by the Google Play Billing service. We use the com.android.vending.BILLING and CHECK_LICENSE permissions to facilitate these transactions and verify ownership. We do not collect or store your payment information (like credit card numbers). All payment processing is handled securely by Google. You can review Google Payments' Privacy Notice.
3. Permissions Requested
The App requests the following Android permissions solely to provide its features. All data processed for these features remains on your device unless specified below.
INTERNET: Required to fetch data for online features (like the Dev Panel), process payments, and send anonymous analytics/crash reports if you have provided consent.
READ_CONTACTS: Required for the "Global Search" feature. This allows you to search for and view contact details directly from the launcher search bar. This data is processed locally on your device and is never uploaded to our servers.
READ_CALENDAR: Required for the "Global Search" feature to display your upcoming calendar events and schedule. This data remains on your device.
com.android.vending.BILLING / CHECK_LICENSE: To handle in-app purchases for premium features and verify that the app was downloaded from the Google Play Store.
BIND_APPWIDGET: Essential for the launcher functionality, allowing you to add, view, and interact with widgets from other installed applications on your home screen.
ACCESS_NETWORK_STATE: Used by libraries like Firebase and Google Play to check for an internet connection before sending data.
AD_ID / ACCESS_ADSERVICES (Ad & Attribution): Used strictly for anonymous analytics and install attribution via Google Play Services and the Android Privacy Sandbox.
PACKAGE_USAGE_STATS: To display your app usage statistics and dashboard on your device.
BIND_NOTIFICATION_LISTENER_SERVICE: To read active notifications, enabling features like hiding notifications from selected apps or for the music widget.
RECEIVE_BOOT_COMPLETED: To ensure the launcher starts correctly immediately after your device reboots.
REQUEST_DELETE_PACKAGES: To allow you to uninstall apps directly from the launcher home screen or drawer.
FOREGROUND_SERVICE: Required by modern Android versions to perform reliable background tasks, such as updating app usage statistics or playing music widgets.
USE_BIOMETRIC / USE_FINGERPRINT: To secure your hidden apps folder or locked features using your device's biometric security.
VIBRATE: To provide haptic feedback for user interactions (e.g., long-pressing icons).
EXPAND_STATUS_BAR: To allow the launcher to show or hide the status bar (e.g., in full-screen mode or via gesture controls).
4. Third-Party Services
The App uses the following third-party services:
Google Firebase (Analytics & Crashlytics): For anonymous usage and crash reporting, if you provide consent.
Google Play Billing & Licensing Services: To process in-app purchases and verify app licenses.
Public APIs of LeetCode and Codeforces: To provide data for the Dev Panel feature, called only when you use it.
5. Data Security
All your personal settings, to-do lists, contacts, calendar events, and app data are stored and processed locally on your device. We do not transmit this data to our servers. You are responsible for securing your device.
6. Children’s Privacy
The App is not directed toward children under the age of 13 (or the relevant age in your region). We do not knowingly collect personal information from children. If we become aware that we have collected data from a child without parental consent, we will take steps to delete that information.
7. Changes to This Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. Any changes will be posted on this page with the updated “Last updated” date.
8. Contact Us
If you have questions about this Privacy Policy, you can contact us at: