Account and data

Privacy Policy

Effective 18 October 2026. UpdateCheck helps you compare software reported by your phone with separately collected Samsung firmware evidence. This policy describes the Android app and public website.

Account and saved-device data

UpdateCheck stores the email address, password verifier or linked Google identity, active sessions and security records needed for sign-in. A saved device contains its selected Galaxy product, exact model, user-confirmed firmware region (CSC/sales code), optional nickname and notification preferences. The selected region is a tracking context, not a verified active CSC or location.

Optional installed-software contribution

On new-device setup, the disclosure immediately above Save device explains that saving enables periodic contribution. Nothing is uploaded before that tap. Existing users see a one-time disclosure before their first contribution; dismissing it keeps contribution disabled. In Settings → Privacy & Data, you can turn off Contribute installed-software data without removing or degrading the saved device, and you can choose Delete contributed observations.

When enabled, foreground app use may send only: the exact physical Galaxy model; the user-confirmed tracking sales code and its selected-by-user provenance; locally read One UI version, Android version and security patch when present; up to eight validated AP candidates, one canonical AP and one public modem/baseband candidate when present; the client observation time; app version, Android API level, extraction schema and confidence; a random installation contribution identifier, idempotency key and disclosure-policy version. The server records its receipt time. An unchanged snapshot is not accepted more than once in 24 hours. Offline storage keeps only the newest pending snapshot. There is no contribution background service, wake-up timer or location collection.

UpdateCheck never collects IMEI, MEID, IMSI, SIM or device serial, phone number, advertising ID, location, contacts, installed-app lists, files, Wi-Fi identifiers, complete device fingerprints, or broad battery, memory, storage, display or hardware diagnostics for this contribution. It does not add general behavioral analytics, session replay or advertising telemetry.

Meaning and separation

A contributed row is classified as HANDSET_REPORTED. It describes only what that app installation could read at that time. It is never Samsung FOTA evidence, official Samsung policy, proof of OTA availability, proof of a general rollout, or a reason to change monitoring targets, source schedules, collectors, classifications or Telegram publishing. A report is rejected if the physical and saved models differ. Public consumer output must not expose raw account or installation identifiers, and aggregate cells with fewer than three independent installations are withheld.

Retention and deletion

Account-linked raw handset observations remain in active storage for at most 180 days. Removing the owning saved device, deleting the account, or choosing Delete contributed observations removes those raw observations from active storage. Turning contribution off stops future uploads but does not itself delete earlier observations. Restricted backups may contain an older personal snapshot for no more than 30 days and must not reactivate deleted accounts or contributions when restored. This release does not persist a separate longer-lived handset-observation aggregate.

Rollout evidence and sources

UpdateCheck collects Samsung firmware and official-document evidence independently of accounts and handset contributions. It records exact model/market, build identifiers, observation time, source attribution and classification. A positive Samsung-source observation does not prove that an individual phone installed an update or is currently being offered it over the air.

Notifications, local storage and operational logs

If a notification destination is enabled, its delivery address or push token and delivery state are used to send selected events. Google sign-in and Firebase Cloud Messaging have their own provider processing when enabled. Browser authentication uses secure, HttpOnly session cookies and CSRF protection. Android credentials use platform-protected storage. Bounded operational server logs process request metadata needed to run and protect the service; they are not handset-observation dimensions.

Contact and changes

For questions or privacy requests, see Contact. Material changes to collection, use, retention or deletion will be reflected here and in the app’s disclosure before they take effect.