Privacy Policy — Lapse

Lapse: Walk to Unlock Apps
Last updated: 2 November 2026

This policy applies to the Lapse apps for iPhone (App Store) and Android (Google Play).

Who is responsible

Simon Sohneg
Luzern, Switzerland
Email: contact@sohneg.ch
Website: https://sohneg.ch

In short

  • Lapse has no account and no server of its own. Your app usage, walks, map and progress stay on your device.
  • The free version shows ads from Google AdMob. Google processes device data to deliver them. In the EEA, the UK and Switzerland, ads are only personalised if you agree.
  • The map is loaded from OpenFreeMap.
  • Purchases are handled by Apple or Google.
  • Lapse uses no analytics and no crash reporting, and it does not sell your data.

Data stored only on your device

Lapse stores the following data locally on your device. It is not sent to us or to anyone else.

  • Your app selection and settings. On iPhone, Apple’s Screen Time gives Lapse only anonymous tokens for the apps you choose, not their names. On Android, Lapse stores the package names of the apps you choose.
  • Usage time of the selected apps. On Android, Lapse records sessions (app, start time, duration); sessions older than 90 days are deleted automatically. On iPhone, Lapse stores daily minutes per selected app.
  • Challenges. Steps or distance walked to unlock your apps, and whether a challenge was completed or skipped.
  • Map. The map areas (hexagons) you have walked through and the points you collected. Explored areas older than six months are deleted automatically. Lapse does not store a continuous track of your route.
  • Progress. XP, level and history.
  • Your ad consent choice (see “Advertising”).

Permissions

iPhone

  • Screen Time (Family Controls): to let you choose apps, to notice when you reach your daily limit, and to lock the apps until you walk. Apple shows your usage statistics in a separate, isolated part of the app that cannot send data anywhere.
  • Notifications: for reminders and the prompt to walk.
  • Location (while using the app): to measure the distance you walk in a distance challenge and to reveal the map.
  • Motion & Fitness: to count your steps in a steps challenge.

Android

  • Accessibility service: used only to detect which app is in the foreground. Lapse does not read, capture or store screen content, text or input.
  • Display over other apps: for the floating timer and the challenge screen.
  • List of installed apps: so you can choose which apps Lapse should limit.
  • Location, also in a foreground service during a distance challenge: to measure the distance you walk and to reveal the map.
  • Physical activity: to count your steps in a steps challenge.
  • Notifications and foreground services: to show the timer and challenge status while they run.

Advertising (Google AdMob)

The free version of Lapse shows ads from Google AdMob, provided by Google Ireland Limited, Gordon House, Barrow Street, Dublin 4, Ireland, and Google LLC, USA (“Google”).

To deliver ads, measure them and prevent fraud, Google processes data such as your IP address, device and operating-system information, information about the app, advertising identifiers (on Android, the Google advertising ID; on iPhone, Apple’s advertising identifier IDFA, only if you allow tracking) and your interactions with ads. Google may derive an approximate location from your IP address.

Consent. If you are in the EEA, the UK or Switzerland, Lapse shows Google’s consent message the first time you open it. Personalised ads and storing information on your device for advertising only happen if you agree. If you do not agree, Google shows only limited, non-personalised ads. You can change your choice at any time in Lapse under Settings → “Ad privacy settings”. Your choice is stored on your device.

Tracking permission on iPhone. Before the first ad, Lapse asks for Apple’s permission to track (App Tracking Transparency). Only if you allow it does Google receive the IDFA and may use it for personalised ads. If you do not allow it, Google shows ads without it. You can change this at any time in the iPhone settings under Privacy & Security → Tracking.

The legal basis is your consent (Art. 6(1)(a) GDPR) for personalised ads, and our legitimate interest in financing the free app (Art. 6(1)(f) GDPR) for limited ads.

Lapse Pro, a one-time purchase, removes all ads.

More information:

Map (OpenFreeMap)

The map in Lapse is loaded from OpenFreeMap (https://openfreemap.org). When the map is shown, your device requests the map tiles for the visible area from tiles.openfreemap.org. Like every internet request, this transmits your IP address, and the requested tiles show which area of the map you are viewing. Lapse sends no other data to OpenFreeMap. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors.

Purchases

Lapse Pro is bought through the Apple App Store or Google Play. Payment is handled entirely by Apple or Google; Lapse only receives confirmation that the purchase is valid and never sees your payment details.

Transfers outside Switzerland and the EEA

Google may process data in the USA and other countries. Google LLC is certified under the EU-U.S. Data Privacy Framework and the Swiss-U.S. Data Privacy Framework.

How long data is kept

  • Data on your device stays until you delete the app or clear its data, except for the automatic deletions described above.
  • Data processed by Google is kept according to Google’s privacy policy.

Your rights

Under the Swiss Federal Act on Data Protection (FADP) and the GDPR, you have the right to access, correct and delete your data, to restrict or object to its processing, to data portability, and to withdraw your consent at any time with effect for the future.

Since Lapse keeps your data only on your device, you can delete it yourself at any time by deleting the app. For data processed by Google for advertising, you can change your consent in the app or contact Google. For any questions, contact us at contact@sohneg.ch.

You also have the right to lodge a complaint with a supervisory authority, in Switzerland the Federal Data Protection and Information Commissioner (FDPIC, https://www.edoeb.admin.ch), or the data protection authority in your EU country.

Children

Lapse is not directed at children under 13.

Changes to this policy

We may update this policy when Lapse changes. The “Last updated” date shows the current version, which is always available at:

https://sohneg.ch/legal/lapse

Contact

Simon Sohneg, Sohneg.ch
Email: contact@sohneg.ch
Website: https://sohneg.ch