Who runs Safari Camera
Safari Camera is developed and published by Abokado Labs. Contact [email protected].
Data stored on your device
The app stores your selected gear, saved locations and labels, planner targets, private Seen records and notes, cached regional guides, and app preferences locally using Apple's SwiftData, UserDefaults, and file-storage technologies. It uses UserDefaults to provide app functionality under Apple's approved reason CA92.1. Deleting the app removes this local data unless iOS retains it as part of a device backup.
Location and Apple Weather
Safari Camera asks for location access only after showing an explanation and only when you tap Allow Location. Location powers the map, sun calculations, compass-relative light direction, and local forecast. The sun calculations run on your device.
When weather is enabled, the app sends the location needed for a forecast to Apple's WeatherKit service. Abokado Labs does not receive it. Apple handles that request under Apple's Privacy Policy. Forecasts may be cached on your device for up to 24 hours so the app can show a clearly labelled stale forecast offline.
You can deny or revoke location access at any time in iOS Settings. Sun planning remains available for saved spots.
Nearby wildlife
To load animals reported near your current position or a saved spot, Safari Camera converts the coordinate on your iPhone into an approximately 20–40 km regional cell. It sends that coarse cell, the selected search radius, animal group, and month to an Abokado Labs proxy. It does not send the precise coordinate, a persistent identifier, your Seen log, species selections, or notes.
The proxy uses aggregate iNaturalist reporting data and does not return or cache observation pins, exact source-observation coordinates, or exact distances. Regional guides may be cached on your iPhone and on the proxy by coarse area and month. Species images are limited to complete CC0 or CC BY attribution records. See iNaturalist's terms.
Photo identification
Photo ID is an internal beta and is not enabled in the public release until its licensing, accuracy, and performance requirements are met. When enabled for testing, selected or captured photos and predictions are processed on-device and are never uploaded. The system Photos picker does not require full-library access.
Aggregate product analytics
Aggregate analytics are enabled by default and can be disabled immediately in Safari Camera Settings. The app may send only an event name, app version and build, iOS major version, and processor architecture. Events are limited to install, launch, daily active use, tabs opened, Settings opened, Advisor used, weather request success or failure, guide download, and Photo ID success or failure.
The payload contains no persistent installation identifier, coordinates, gear, scenarios, camera settings, forecast data, recommendations, species names, photos, predictions, sightings, or notes. The Abokado Labs endpoint is also configured not to retain IP-derived country or user-agent data for Safari Camera events. Analytics failures are ignored and do not affect app use.
What we do not collect
- No name, email address, account, or contact list.
- No photos, EXIF data, camera files, predictions, or full image-library access.
- No precise wildlife location, public sighting submission, observation pin, or Seen note.
- No advertising identifier, fingerprint, or cross-app tracking data.
- No payment details; Apple processes App Store purchases.
Your choices
You can turn off analytics in Settings, manage location in iOS Settings, delete individual saved spots and gear, or delete the app. Questions can be sent to [email protected].
Changes
Material changes will be posted here with a revised effective date.