gremlin.group / phonic/ privacy

Phonic privacy policy.

How Phonic handles your recordings, transcripts and the permissions it asks for on iPhone, iPad, Mac and Apple Watch.

Last updated: 8 October 2026

1. Who we are

Phonic is made by Gremlin Group ("we", "us" or "our"), a trading name of Gremlin LTD, Moot House, Harlow, CM20 3AG. This policy covers the Phonic app. Our website privacy policy covers gremlin.group.

2. Recording and transcription happen on your device

Phonic records from the sources you choose and transcribes the audio on your device using Apple's speech models. With Phonic Pro, speakers are also identified on your device.

Phonic does not ask you to create an account with us.

3. Where your recordings are stored

Each recording is saved as a .phonic package containing the audio, its metadata, the transcript and, with Phonic Pro, its Insights. Packages are stored in your own iCloud Drive, where you can see them in Files and Finder. iCloud is provided by Apple under your Apple Account and Apple's terms.

If you do not use iCloud, recordings stay in a Phonic Library on the device. Either way, your recordings are files you control: you can move, export or delete them at any time.

4. Models Phonic downloads

  • The first transcription in a language downloads Apple's speech model for that language.
  • With Phonic Pro, the first speaker identification downloads FluidAudio's speaker models, about 120 MB.

Both are downloaded once and reused afterwards.

5. Insights

With Phonic Pro, the Insights tab produces a summary, key points, action items, decisions, open questions, topics and talk time for each recording. It uses Apple Intelligence when it is available on your device, with a built-in fallback when it is not.

6. Permissions Phonic asks for

  • Microphone: to record from the built-in microphone or a connected one.
  • Calendar: with Phonic Pro, the attendees of a calendar meeting are used to name speakers and are offered as suggestions when you rename a speaker.
  • Screen sharing on iPhone and iPad: to record a call in Meeting mode with Phonic Pro, iOS asks you to share your screen.
  • System Audio Recording on Mac: to record audio from other apps such as Microsoft Teams and Zoom with Phonic Pro.

You can change any of these permissions at any time in Settings or System Settings.

7. Apple Watch, widgets and controls

The Apple Watch app records on your watch and keeps each recording until your iPhone has received it, then the iPhone app imports and transcribes it. Widgets show your recent recordings and start recording in Phonic.

8. Phonic Pro purchases

Phonic Pro is an in-app purchase made through Apple. Apple handles the payment under its own terms and privacy policy.

9. Your rights

Under UK GDPR, you have the right to:

  • Access the personal data we hold about you
  • Request correction of inaccurate data
  • Request deletion of your data
  • Object to processing of your data
  • Request a copy of your data in a portable format

10. Contact us

If you have any questions about this privacy policy or wish to exercise your rights, please contact us at hello@gremlin.group or Gremlin LTD, Moot House, Harlow, CM20 3AG. Help with using Phonic is at support.gremlin.group.