Smartwatch data and privacy on THEIA II
A smartwatch collects more personal data than most devices you own: where you go, your pulse, your sleep. This page explains what smartwatch data THEIA II collects, how the watch connects to your phone, why it needs no data plan, where the data is stored, who receives it, and how you delete it. It is written for THEIA II users and for consumers comparing smart watches and fitness trackers on privacy. The legal text is the privacy policy in the user manual; if this page and the policy ever differ, the policy applies.
What smartwatch data THEIA II collects
Smartwatches use built-in sensors to measure your body and your surroundings. On THEIA II:
- Location:
- the GPS receiver records your route and the distance of each workout.
- Pulse:
- the optical sensor on the caseback measures heart rate and blood oxygen. The variation between beats (HRV) is used to compute stress and recovery.
- Movement and sleep:
- the 3D accelerometer counts steps and calories and shows deep and light sleep after a night of wear.
- Environment:
- altitude, air pressure and heading, from the barometric altimeter, the barometer and the compass.
- Account and app:
- the details you register with (email and password), the personal data you enter (height, weight), device and app information, and app logs.
This is the data used for fitness tracking and for the mountain functions. After each sync, activities are moved to the app and deleted from the watch’s memory. Sync regularly: history that is not synced can be lost when the watch’s memory is full.
Health monitoring, not medical advice
Health monitoring on a smartwatch shows trends: your resting pulse over weeks, your sleep patterns, your recovery after a hard day. It is not a diagnosis. The user manual gives a tolerance of about 15% for heart rate, and readings change with sweat, water and how the strap sits. Like other wearable technology, THEIA II is a tool to follow your own trends.
Does THEIA II need a data plan?
No. THEIA II has no SIM card and no mobile network connection of its own. It connects to your phone over Bluetooth, and your phone carries the data to the app. There is no smartwatch data plan, no watch plan to add to your phone line, no monthly fee, and no extra taxes and fees on your phone bill. You save that money every month.
The benefits for you: no extra line, no carrier contract to activate, and a watch whose maps and GPS work anywhere in the world where it sees the sky. Data from THEIA II goes to your paired phone, and from the app to Strava if you link it. No other devices receive it.
How smartwatch data plans work, and why THEIA II has none
Some smart watches have their own mobile connection. Cellular versions of the Apple Watch, the Samsung Galaxy Watch and the Google Pixel Watch can make calls and use data without a phone nearby, so you stay connected on a run without your smartphone. To do that, they need a smartwatch data plan from a carrier.
- Eligible devices:only cellular models qualify, for example an Apple Watch Series model with cellular, not the GPS-only version.
- How you pay:carriers such as T-Mobile and Verizon in the United States sell smartwatch plans as an extra line on your phone account. You activate the watch on that line and pay a monthly fee, plus taxes and fees on your bill.
- What you get:calls, messages and data on the watch, often with unlimited talk and text, while it shares your phone number.
These plans make sense for customers who want the convenience of calls on the wrist without carrying a smartphone, and the cellular capabilities that come with it. THEIA II is built the other way: navigation, maps, GPS tracking and the mountain sensors work on the watch alone, with no network at all, and the phone is only needed for SOS, notifications and sync.
How the watch, the phone and the app communicate
THEIA II is paired with your smartphone through the AIRN CONNECT app, over a Bluetooth connection. Compatible devices are iPhone and Android phones. To start, you create an account, register it with a password and pair the watch; the app then sets the time and language on the watch.
When the phone is in range, the watch and the phone communicate: the app receives your activities and health data, sends routes, satellite data and software updates to the watch, and passes on message notifications to your wrist. “Find my phone” works within a Bluetooth range of about 15 m. Firmware updates take about 20 minutes over Bluetooth.
When the phone is out of range, the watch keeps working on its own. Only SOS needs your smartphone, because it places the call.
Where your smartwatch data is stored
Air’n rents its servers from Infomaniak. The policy says data of local residents is generally stored in the local jurisdiction and not transferred across borders unless you consent. The policy describes encryption, identity checks and secure servers, and states that no system can guarantee 100% security.
Who receives your data
- Weather:when weather push is on, your location is sent to the weather provider, Hefeng Internet Technology (Beijing) Co., Ltd., to show local weather. You can turn it off in the app under Device, Device Settings, Weather Push.
- Cloud storage:Infomaniak, only if you choose cloud storage.
- Strava:only if you link your Strava account in the app.
- Business partners and service providers:the policy allows sharing to provide the service.
Research with the University of Geneva and EANS
Users who are selected and informed in advance can choose to share fully anonymised data for research on fatigue and stress among professionals in high-pressure jobs, with EANS and the University of Geneva. The research also funds scholarships. Taking part is your choice.
How long your data is kept
Your data is kept as long as your account exists. After you close the account or ask for deletion, it is deleted or anonymised within 90 days. On your phone, the app keeps the last 7 days of logs and deletes older ones.
Your rights and your account
You can ask to access, correct or delete your data. Closing your account in the app, under Profile, deletes all recorded data. For questions and support, write to info@airn.ch. Every statement on this page is subject to the privacy policy. The company responsible is Montres Boral SA, Rue Ferdinand Hodler 11, 1207 Geneva. Children under 13 need verifiable parental consent; data collected without it is deleted.
Privacy features in the app
- Weather push on or off
- Heart rate tracking on or off
- Strava connection only if you add it
- Clear cache
- Account cancellation, which deletes all recorded data
What to check in any smartwatch privacy policy
Whichever smartwatch you choose, these questions show how a company treats your data. Ask them before you buy:
- Who is responsible for your data, by company name and country?
- Where is the data stored, and under which law?
- Is it encrypted on the way to the server and on the server?
- Is it sold or shared for advertising? Which third parties receive it?
- How long is it kept, and do you have the ability to delete it yourself?
- Does the watch need an account, a phone or a data plan to work?
- How long will the company support the hardware and software with security updates?
Do I need a smartwatch data plan for an Apple Watch?
Only for an Apple Watch Series model with cellular, or an Apple Watch Ultra, if you want it to make calls and use data without your iPhone nearby. A GPS-only Apple Watch uses your iPhone’s connection, like THEIA II does.
Which Samsung Galaxy Watch models need a plan?
Only the LTE versions of the Samsung Galaxy Watch, and only if you want calls and data without your phone. Bluetooth versions use your smartphone’s connection.
What do smartwatch plans cost?
It depends on the carrier. In the United States, T-Mobile and Verizon each charge a monthly fee for the watch line, plus taxes and fees on your bill. Check the carrier’s current price before you pay. THEIA II has no such fee.
Is a smartwatch data plan unlimited?
Carrier watch plans often include unlimited talk, text and data on the watch, linked to your phone plan. Check what each plan includes and which devices are eligible.
Does THEIA II need a data plan?
No. It has no mobile connection of its own and connects to your phone over Bluetooth. There is no watch plan and no monthly fee.
Can I add THEIA II to my phone plan?
No, and you do not need to. Watch plans from carriers are for smartwatches with their own mobile connection, such as cellular Apple Watch and Samsung Galaxy Watch models. THEIA II uses your smartphone’s connection, so your phone plan, your phone line and your phone bill stay the same.
How much smartwatch data does THEIA II use on my phone?
Maps are loaded from your computer by USB, so they use none of your phone’s mobile data. The app syncs your activities and health data over your phone’s network connection or Wi-Fi.
Can I use THEIA II without my phone?
Yes. The core functionality works on the watch alone: maps, GPS tracking, return to start, the altimeter and the compass. The phone is needed for SOS, notifications, sync and updates.
Where is my THEIA II data stored?
On servers Air’n rents from Infomaniak, under the privacy policy in the user manual.
Who else receives my data?
The weather provider, if weather push is on; Strava, if you link it; and the service providers named in the privacy policy.
How do I delete my data?
Close your account in the app. All recorded data is deleted, and the policy commits to deletion or anonymisation within 90 days.