Apps by Joe Waldow
DE

Privacy Policy for “Solitaire” (iOS and Android)

Last updated: 11 September 2026 · Deutsche Fassung

This privacy policy applies to Solitaire (German: Solitär) by Joe Waldow on iOS/iPadOS and Android. The Apple sections also apply to the app’s other Apple versions where the relevant feature is available. Differences between Apple and Android are identified below.

1. Controller and contact

Joe Waldow
Hasenbusch 52
25335 Elmshorn
Germany
Email: joe@waldow.app

You can also use this address to request access to or deletion of your personal data.

2. At a glance

  • Solitaire does not require a separate app account. The card game itself works offline.
  • The app displays no advertising, contains no advertising trackers and does not sell personal data. It does not use an advertising ID or track you across other apps or websites.
  • Game saves, statistics and settings are initially stored on your device. Depending on your platform and settings, progress may be synced and the operating system may back up app data.
  • Apple or Google and my service provider RevenueCat process purchase and technical data for the full version. RevenueCat is integrated at app startup, including when you do not make a purchase.
  • To improve the app, I collect anonymous usage statistics through TelemetryDeck, a German provider: no advertising ID, no stored IP address and no data about individual games (section 8). No crash-reporting service is built in. RevenueCat purchase statistics and processing by Apple and Google, particularly Play Games diagnostics and analytics, are described separately below.

3. Data on your device

The app stores the current game, including the card deal, game history, start time, playing time, hints and undos used, and the moves needed to resume play and undo moves. It also stores Journey progress, stars, best results, completed levels, solved daily deals, streaks, unlocked content, read Journey passages, game statistics and a limited history of recently played games. Information about an accepted duel may form part of the saved game.

Other stored data includes your display, sound, accessibility, control and game preferences; progress through the introduction and playing guides; free trials already used; the Game Center or Play Games setting; and a cached unlock status. If you add a widget, it locally reads the daily-deal status, current streak and display information from the app.

This data supports the game and convenience features you use. I do not operate a separate server to which the app sends your complete saves or individual gameplay history for analysis. The specific transfers described in the following sections are separate from this local storage.

Where personal data is processed, the legal basis is Article 6(1)(b) GDPR (providing the app features you request). Necessary local storage and access are based on section 25(2), no. 2 of Germany’s TDDDG. Solitaire does not request access to your contacts, camera, microphone, location or photo library. When you open a duel link or duel file, the app processes only the information it contains.

4. Sync and system backups

Apple: iCloud

If iCloud is available for the app and enabled in your Apple settings, the app syncs Journey progress (levels, stars, best move counts, completions and scores), solved daily deals, and information about previously acquired replay rights for certain levels through Apple’s iCloud key-value storage. This works between devices using the same Apple Account. The current unfinished game, complete game statistics and all settings are not part of this app-managed sync.

Android: Google Play Games Saved Games

If you enable Play Games in the app, are signed in and the feature is available, the same progress data is stored in your Google account through Google Play Games Saved Games and synced with your Android devices. The app’s Play Games switch also controls this sync. Sync between Apple and Android is not built in.

These cloud saves reside in the relevant platform account. I do not receive them as a central collection of game saves or use them for individual gameplay analytics. Article 6(1)(b) GDPR is the legal basis for the sync feature you choose to use. Apple and Google also process data for their accounts and cloud services under their own responsibility.

Operating-system backups

Separately, system backups may include local app data if you have enabled them on your device. On Android, the app explicitly allows both cloud backups and transfer to a new device. These may include unfinished games, statistics and settings; the designated derived cache and the separate file containing the cached unlock status are excluded. Local app data on Apple devices may also be included in system backups.

Backups depend on your operating-system and account settings and may restore data after reinstallation. I cannot manage your personal system backups. Further information: Apple’s privacy policy and Google’s privacy policy.

5. Full version and RevenueCat

Solitaire offers the full version as a one-time in-app purchase. Payment is handled by the App Store on Apple devices and Google Play on Android. The relevant store processes the payment; the app and RevenueCat do not receive your credit-card or bank-account details in this process.

I use RevenueCat, Inc., USA, as a processor to verify purchases, unlock content and restore purchases. This involves, in particular:

  • an automatically generated app user identifier and, where applicable, associated identifiers used in purchase restoration;
  • purchased products, purchase dates, store receipts or purchase tokens, transaction identifiers, entitlements, refunds and changes to purchase entitlements;
  • technical information such as device type, operating system, app and SDK version, platform, language or region, and the times of the first and latest connection to the service;
  • purchase price, currency and country information. Connections also technically involve the IP address. RevenueCat may derive a country from it; its documentation states that the IP address is then discarded.

The identifier does not contain a name or email address you enter. It is nevertheless a pseudonymous identifier under which purchase and connection data can be associated, rather than a promise of complete anonymity. The app does not send custom customer identifiers, contact information or advertising IDs to RevenueCat. If you contact me with an identifiable purchase receipt, it may be possible to associate a purchase with your support request.

The integration starts when the app launches and is used again when checking or restoring entitlements. It is not limited to making a new purchase. RevenueCat lets me view purchase and entitlement information and revenue statistics. This processing supports the full version, purchase restoration, fraud prevention and purchase analysis, not advertising.

The legal bases are Article 6(1)(b) GDPR for purchases, unlocking and restoration, and Article 6(1)(f) GDPR for reliable entitlement checks, abuse prevention and business analysis of purchases. My legitimate interests are providing paid features correctly, preventing unauthorized access to paid content and assessing the operation of the app. Further information is available in RevenueCat’s privacy notice and Data Processing Addendum.

6. Game Center and Google Play Games

Apple: Game Center

Game Center is initially switched off in the app. The app only attempts to use it after you enable the switch. While enabled and successfully signed in, the app may send Apple daily-deal move counts and completion times, total stars, the best daily-deal streak, Journey scores and unlocked achievements. This may include results already earned locally.

Apple associates this information with your Game Center profile. Depending on your profile and visibility settings, other players may see your player name, profile picture, results and achievements. Turning the feature off in the app stops further result and achievement submissions by Solitaire; it does not delete entries already stored by Apple. Further information: Game Center & Privacy.

Android: Google Play Games

The app uses its Play Games switch and your sign-in status to enable transmission of results, achievements and cloud saves. Where these features are available, the result types listed above and achievements are sent to Google and associated with your player profile. Visibility to other players depends on the service and your profile settings.

The switch does not disable all Google services: the integrated Play Games SDK may initialize when the app starts. Depending on your Play Games settings, Google may attempt automatic sign-in and also processes technical diagnostics and analytics for its service. Google describes this in its Play Games SDK data disclosure. The app does not use this to build its own general gameplay analytics. You can also manage automatic sign-in and your Play Games profile in your Google/Play Games settings.

The legal basis for result and achievement submissions you enable is Article 6(1)(a) GDPR (consent). You can withdraw it for the future using the relevant app switch. Section 4 applies to cloud saves. The technical integration is based on Article 6(1)(f) GDPR (the legitimate interest in a functioning and stable platform connection). Apple and Google are responsible for their independent processing of their accounts and services; their settings and privacy notices also apply.

7. Duel links and older duel files

When you share a duel or a reply, the app creates a link on solitaire.waldow.app. It contains the game variant, the random seed defining the card deal, the first player’s move count and, for a reply, the replying player’s move count as well, plus the language of your app so that the preview card appears in that language. The link contains no name, email address or device or account identifier.

You choose the recipient and delivery method through the share menu, such as a messenger, email or direct device transfer. Your selected service and recipients receive the link and, where applicable, sender information from that service. That service’s privacy terms apply; recipients may retain and forward links.

If the link is opened in a browser or fetched by a messenger for a link preview, my hosting provider Cloudflare, Inc., USA, renders the preview card from it. This involves processing the URL, including its parameters, and technical connection data such as the IP address of the requesting device (section 9). I do not store duels and do not operate a duel server: the link itself carries all the information, and both apps compare results locally. If the app is installed, the link opens it directly and the preview page is usually not loaded.

The app still opens older .solitaireduell duel files and earlier invitation links on waldow.app. In addition to the game variant, deal and move count, the latter may contain a completion time and a freely chosen sender name; the current sharing feature does not generate such information. When opening them, the app processes only the information contained in the link or file.

The legal basis for creating, sharing and opening these items at your request is Article 6(1)(b) GDPR (providing the requested duel feature). Section 9 applies to delivery of the preview page.

8. Anonymous usage statistics (TelemetryDeck)

To improve the app, I collect anonymous usage statistics through TelemetryDeck, a service operated by TelemetryDeck GmbH (Augsburg, Germany). The following is transmitted:

  • how the introduction ended: by starting free play, by starting the Journey or via “Skip” (each time the introduction is completed, which is normally once, on first launch),
  • that the purchase screen was shown or a purchase was completed, together with the area it was opened from (such as a Journey chapter, a game variant, the daily-deal archive or the collection), never with price or payment data,
  • basic technical data such as app version, operating system version, device model, language and region, screen dimensions and time zone,
  • accessibility settings such as font size, bold text, colour inversion or “reduce motion”, so that legibility can be improved for them,
  • usage history: the start of a session, session length, number of sessions and the number of days played.

Individual games, moves, results, saves and your in-game settings are not transmitted. TelemetryDeck specializes in privacy-friendly statistics: device identifiers are anonymized on your device using a salted, irreversible hashing scheme. No advertising ID is used, IP addresses are not stored, and neither I nor TelemetryDeck can attribute the data to a person. The statistics exist only in aggregate form (“how many”, never “who”). The data is processed within the European Union.

The legal basis is Article 6(1)(f) GDPR (legitimate interest in improving the app). Because the data is anonymized, no consent is required. More information: telemetrydeck.com/privacy

9. Website, support and platform features

When you visit a page on waldow.app or solitaire.waldow.app, including this privacy policy or the preview page of a duel link, hosting provider Cloudflare, Inc., USA, processes technical information to deliver and protect the website. This includes the IP address, requested URL, request time, status code and, where applicable, browser, operating-system and referrer information. The website has no own audience measurement or advertising trackers; necessary host security features may apply. The legal basis is Article 6(1)(f) GDPR (a secure and reliable website). Details, including retention, are provided in the website privacy policy (German) and Cloudflare’s privacy policy.

If you email me, I process your email address, any name you provide, your message, voluntary attachments and associated communication data to handle your request. Providers used to deliver email may receive this data. The legal basis is Article 6(1)(b) GDPR for contract-related requests, or otherwise Article 6(1)(f) GDPR (responding to enquiries). The app does not automatically send support messages or attachments.

Store reviews, downloads and any diagnostic reports shared through the operating system are processed by Apple or Google under their own terms. Solitaire uses the relevant system feature for review prompts. No crash-reporting SDK is built in; the anonymous usage statistics are described in section 8.

10. Recipients and international transfers

Recipients depend on the functions described above: Apple for the App Store, iCloud and Game Center; Google for Google Play, Play Games and Android backups; RevenueCat for purchase management; TelemetryDeck for anonymous usage statistics; Cloudflare when visiting the website and when duel links are fetched; and your chosen communication services and recipients when sharing or contacting me. RevenueCat, TelemetryDeck and Cloudflare act as processors for data entrusted to them for my services. Apple and Google are responsible for their platform accounts, payment services and independent service processing.

TelemetryDeck processes data within the European Union. RevenueCat and Cloudflare in particular may process data in the United States; Apple and Google also use international infrastructure. For transfers outside the European Economic Area, the RevenueCat Data Processing Addendum and Cloudflare Data Processing Addendum provide in particular for the European Commission’s Standard Contractual Clauses. Adequacy decisions under Article 45 GDPR may also apply where relevant. You may request information about applicable safeguards and a copy by emailing joe@waldow.app. Apple’s and Google’s linked privacy notices explain their international transfers.

Connections used by the integrated purchase and game services and by this website are encrypted in transit (HTTPS/TLS). Local app files are held in operating-system-managed app storage or storage shared by the app and its widgets. The security of a messaging or email transfer you choose also depends on the relevant communication service.

11. Retention and deletion

  • Local game data: is retained for as long as needed for your use of the app. Current games are updated as you play, and the recent-game history is limited. On Android, you can clear app data in system settings. On iOS, fully deleting the app generally removes its local data; merely offloading it retains that data. Local data on other devices is unaffected.
  • Cloud data and backups: uninstalling the app or disabling sync does not automatically delete existing cloud data or backups. Manage or delete these separately in your Apple/Google account settings. Google explains how to delete Play Games data. Data retained on other devices or in backups may return when you sync or restore again.
  • Purchase data: is retained for as long as needed for unlocking, purchase restoration, justified abuse checks or resolving claims. Uninstalling the app does not automatically delete the RevenueCat record or store receipts. You can ask me to delete data for which I am responsible. I may request appropriate purchase information to identify the record securely; do not send passwords or full payment details. Using the app or restoring purchases after deletion may create a record again.
  • Support and connection data: is retained only as long as needed to handle your request, deliver services securely or resolve claims. Statutory retention requirements remain applicable; Article 6(1)(c) GDPR is the legal basis for those requirements.
  • Usage statistics: are held by TelemetryDeck only in anonymized, aggregated form. They cannot be attributed to you, so individual records cannot be deleted on request.
  • Shared links and files: copies held by your recipients or chosen communication service are subject to their retention and deletion arrangements.

12. Your rights and choices

Subject to the GDPR’s conditions, you have rights of access (Article 15), rectification (Article 16), erasure (Article 17), restriction of processing (Article 18) and data portability (Article 20). You may withdraw consent at any time for the future without affecting the lawfulness of processing that took place before withdrawal.

For processing based on Article 6(1)(f) GDPR, you may object on grounds relating to your particular situation (Article 21 GDPR). To object or exercise your other rights, contact joe@waldow.app. If I cannot identify the relevant stored data, I will explain this and ask only for the additional information needed to identify it.

You may also complain to a data protection supervisory authority, particularly in your place of residence, place of work or the place of an alleged infringement. The authority responsible for my location in Schleswig-Holstein, Germany, is the Independent Centre for Data Protection Schleswig-Holstein (ULD).

You do not need to provide me with a name or email address to play locally. Purchases and restoration cannot be completed without the necessary purchase processing; disabling game services removes their additional functions. Solitaire does not make solely automated decisions about you with legal or similarly significant effects or use profiling for such decisions.

13. Changes to this policy

I update this policy when data processing or applicable requirements change. The date above identifies the current version. Both language versions cover iOS and Android and are available at Datenschutz Solitär and Solitaire Privacy Policy.