1. Introduction

Welcome to Ember ("we," "our," or "us"). We are committed to protecting your privacy. This Privacy Policy explains how our application collects, uses, and safeguards your information when you use our music player and streaming services.

Ember is a client-side application that acts as a bridge to various media services. We prioritize a "Local-First" approach, meaning the majority of your data remains on your device and is not transmitted to our servers.

2. Information We Collect

2.1. Personally Identifiable Information

We do not collect or store personally identifiable information (PII) like your name, email address, or phone number on our own servers for general app usage.

However, to provide streaming functionality, the app may process the following locally on your device:

• Authentication Tokens: If you choose to log in to Spotify or Google/YouTube, the app stores your access tokens and cookies locally on your device. These are used solely to authenticate requests directly with those services. We do not have access to your passwords.

2.2. Payment and Transaction Data

We do not store your credit card, debit card, or net banking details on our servers. All payments are processed by our third-party payment gateway partner, Cashfree Payments India Pvt Ltd.

When you make a purchase (e.g., Pro Version of app), the payment gateway collects your financial information solely to process the transaction.

We may retain basic transaction details (Transaction ID, Order ID, Date, and Status) for accounting and user support purposes.

2.3. Usage and Log Data

To improve app stability, we use third-party tools that may collect:

• Crash Logs: Data regarding app crashes (stack traces, device model, OS version) to help us fix bugs.
• Performance Metrics: Anonymous data on how the app performs (e.g., download speeds, startup time).

2.4. Local Data

The following data is stored securely within the app's local database on your device:

• Search history
• Playback history ("Recently Played")
• Created playlists
• Downloaded offline music files
• Favorites and Library data

3. Third-Party Services

Ember aggregates content from various third-party sources. By using the app, you acknowledge that data is exchanged directly between your device and these services. We encourage you to review their privacy policies.

A. YouTube Services (Google)

Ember uses YouTube API Services and client-side techniques to search and stream content.

• Data Shared: Search queries, video IDs, and playback requests are sent directly from your device to YouTube servers.
• Policy: Google Privacy Policy

B. Spotify

If you link your Spotify account, Ember uses the Spotify Web API to fetch metadata, lyrics, and user library content.

• Data Shared: Authentication tokens and playlist/track IDs.
• Policy: Spotify Privacy Policy

C. Cashfree (Payment Processor)

We use Cashfree to process secure payments. Your payment data is encrypted and processed securely by them.

• Policy: Cashfree Privacy Policy

D. SponsorBlock & DeArrow

Ember integrates with SponsorBlock to skip non-music segments and DeArrow for crowdsourced titles.

• Data Shared: Anonymized video hashes are sent to these APIs to retrieve segment data. No user-identifiable data is transmitted.
• Policy: SponsorBlock Privacy

E. Firebase (Crashlytics)

We use Google Firebase Crashlytics to report stability issues.

• Data Collected: UUIDs, crash traces, and device state information.

4. App Permissions

To function correctly, Ember requests the following permissions:

• Internet: Required to stream music, fetch metadata, and download content.
• Storage / Manage External Storage: Required to save downloaded music for offline playback and to backup/restore your local database.
• Foreground Service: Required to keep music playing when the app is minimized or the screen is off.
• Post Notifications: Used to show the media player controls in your notification shade.

5. Data Security

We implement appropriate security measures to protect your data.

• Encryption: All communication with third-party APIs (YouTube, Spotify, Cashfree) occurs over HTTPS (Encrypted).
• Local Storage: Your authentication credentials and download data are stored in your device's secure sandbox environment.

6. Refunds and Cancellations

Digital Goods: Since Ember provides digital access to software features/content, all sales are final. We do generally not offer refunds once a purchase is confirmed and the feature is unlocked.

Exceptions: If a technical error prevents you from accessing the content you purchased, please contact us within 48 hours. Refunds in such cases are processed at our sole discretion within 5-7 business days.

Cancellations: You may cancel your subscription renewal at any time through the app settings/through your payment provider (Eg. Phonepe, Paytm).

7. Shipping and Delivery Policy

Instant Delivery: Ember deals exclusively in digital goods. Upon successful payment confirmation, the purchased features or content are activated immediately on your device.

No physical shipping is involved.

8. Children’s Privacy

Ember is a general audience application and is not directed at children under the age of 13. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children. If we become aware that we have collected personal information from a child without verification of parental consent, we take steps to remove that information.

9. Grievance Redressal

In accordance with the Information Technology Act, 2000 and rules made thereunder, the contact details of the Grievance Officer are provided below:

• Name: Satya Dev
• Designation: Developer & Grievance Officer
• Email: ember@evolvarc.com
• Time: Mon - Fri (10:00 AM - 06:00 PM IST)

10. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update our Privacy Policy from time to time. We will notify you of any changes by posting the new Privacy Policy on this page or within the app settings. You are advised to review this page periodically for any changes.

11. Contact Us

If you have any questions or suggestions about our Privacy Policy, do not hesitate to contact us.

• Developer: Satya Dev (EvolvArc)
• Email: satya@evolvarc.com
• Location: India