Last updated: March 7, 2026
Escapement is a timing tool for mechanical clocks, built by someone who cares about privacy as much as you do. There are no analytics packages hidden in this app. No tracking pixels. No behavioral profiling. No data brokers. The app does one thing well and doesn't phone home about it.
This policy explains what data exists, where it lives, and who can see it.
Escapement uses your iPhone's microphone to listen for the tick and tock of your clock's escapement. This is the core function of the app.
When debug capture is enabled in Settings, Escapement records the raw audio from your measurement session as a WAV file, along with a JSON file containing detection metadata (peak amplitudes, noise floor levels, timestamps, and timing measurements).
A capture contains:
Captures do not contain your name, Apple ID, location, or any personal identifiers beyond the device model (e.g. "iPhone 15 Pro").
Escapement can optionally upload audio captures to a private analysis server. This is the one place where data leaves your device, and only if you choose to send it.
The purpose is simple: every clock sounds different. A grandfather clock in a carpeted living room sounds nothing like a carriage clock on a marble mantle. The more real-world samples we can review from different movements and listening environments, the smarter the detection algorithm gets for everyone. Uploaded captures are reviewed by real people who flag false detections, study edge cases, and retune the algorithm before each app update.
There are none. Zero.
Escapement does not contain Google Analytics, Firebase, Mixpanel, Amplitude, Segment, Flurry, or any other analytics SDK. There is no crash reporter phoning home. No event tracking. No screen view logging. No A/B testing framework. No attribution pixel. No fingerprinting.
We don't know how many people use the app. We don't know which screens you visit or how long you stay. We don't know what clock you're timing. We chose not to know these things because knowing them would require compromising your privacy, and that's not a trade we're willing to make.
Most apps include analytics because it's easy and expected. We left it out on purpose.
If you have opted in to sharing diagnostics with Apple (in iOS Settings), Apple may collect standard crash logs and performance data. This is controlled by your iOS settings, not by Escapement. We do not receive identifiable information from Apple's analytics.
Escapement does not knowingly collect data from children under 13. The app has no accounts, no social features, and no way to submit personal information.
Questions about this policy: hello@escapement.app
Last updated: March 7, 2026
By using Escapement, you agree to these terms. They're straightforward.
Escapement is a measurement tool that estimates the rate, deviation, and beat error of mechanical clocks by analyzing audio. It is not a calibrated scientific instrument. Readings are approximations based on acoustic detection and should be treated as guidance, not certification.
Audio recordings and detection data stored on your device belong to you. You control whether captures are created, stored, or deleted locally.
When you upload a capture to the cloud analysis server, ownership of that recording and its associated metadata transfers to Escapement. Uploaded captures become part of the project's dataset and may be used for algorithm development, annotation, analysis, and training detection models. This transfer is necessary because the dataset is a long-lived, evolving resource that the detection engine depends on across app versions.
Don't upload anything you're not comfortable contributing permanently. If a capture was uploaded by mistake, contact hello@escapement.app and we'll remove it. Because captures contain no personal identifiers, we can only locate a specific recording by its upload timestamp and beat signature. You'll need to tell us roughly when it was uploaded so we can find it.
Don't use the cloud upload service to store or transmit content that is illegal, harmful, or unrelated to clock timing. The service is for mechanical clock audio captures only.
Escapement is provided as-is. We do our best to make the measurements accurate, but we can't guarantee precision in all environments, with all clocks, or under all conditions. Don't rely on Escapement as the sole basis for expensive repair decisions.
Escapement and its developer are not liable for any damages arising from the use of the app, including but not limited to incorrect measurements, clock damage from adjustments made based on readings, or loss of data.
These terms may be updated. Continued use of the app after changes constitutes acceptance. Material changes will be noted in the app's release notes.
Questions or concerns: hello@escapement.app
Effective March 7, 2026