Effective Date: September 1, 2026

App Name: Vela

Welcome to Vela ("we," "our," or "us"). We are committed to protecting your personal privacy. This Privacy Policy outlines how we collect, use, store, and protect your information when you access or use our iOS application, Vela.

1. Information We Collect

We only collect the minimal information necessary to provide and improve our services.

• Sign in with Apple: When you register or log in using your Apple ID, we receive a unique user ID, your name (if provided), and your email address (or an anonymous relay email address generated by Apple's "Hide My Email" service).
• Guest Login: If you choose Guest Login, we generate an anonymous internal identifier tied to your device. No personal identity information (such as real name or email) is collected for guest access.
• AI Chat Conversations: We collect and process the text prompts, messages, and interactions you submit to Vela solely to generate AI responses and maintain conversation context.
• Technical & Usage Data: We automatically collect standard device parameters, such as iOS version, device model, app performance metrics, and crash logs to maintain app stability and functionality.

2. How We Use Your Information

We utilize the collected information for the following purposes:

• To authenticate your identity and allow seamless user access (via Sign in with Apple or Guest account).
• To process your inputs and deliver real-time AI chat responses.
• To maintain, optimize, and improve the functionality and security of Vela.
• To fulfill customer support requests and troubleshoot technical issues.

3. Data Sharing and Third-Party Services

We do not sell your personal data. We only share information with third parties in the following limited circumstances:

• AI Infrastructure Providers: Your chat inputs are sent securely to third-party Large Language Model (LLM) providers via encrypted APIs strictly to generate responses. These providers are bound by strict contractual obligations not to use your prompt data for their own independent model training.
• Apple Infrastructure: Authentication data managed via Apple Services adheres strictly to Apple's privacy guidelines.
• Legal Obligations: We may disclose information if required to do so by applicable law, regulation, legal process, or governmental request.