No GPS tracking
Kino never requests location permission. We have no idea where you are, and we never will.
Simple by design
How Kino works
Three minutes to set up. Zero effort to maintain. Here's exactly what happens under the hood.
Download Kino from the App Store
Kino is free to download. When you open it for the first time, it creates an anonymous account — no email, no password, no personal identity required.
Your anonymity is built into the architecture. We can't link your activity data back to you by name even if we wanted to.
Free · No sign-up requiredGrant Apple Health access
Kino asks for read-only access to your step count in Apple Health. That's it — no heart rate, no sleep, no location, no other metrics.
Apple's HealthKit framework ensures your health data never leaves your device without your explicit permission. Kino reads your steps locally to produce a simple status — it does not upload your raw step count to any server.
Read-only · Step count onlyChoose your trusted circle
Pick the people who should receive reassurance updates. Kino lets you browse your contacts to choose them quickly. Each person you add is a member of your "trusted circle".
You control this circle completely — add or remove anyone at any time from the Settings screen. The people you add do not need to download Kino themselves.
No app required for recipientsGo about your day
Once set up, Kino works entirely in the background. You don't need to open it, check in, or do anything at all.
Kino periodically reads your step count from Apple Health and compares it against your normal activity pattern. If things look as expected — like a typical day — it records a positive status. It also runs a background refresh so it stays current even when the app hasn't been opened.
Background refresh · No interaction neededYour loved ones stay reassured
Your trusted circle receives a quiet, brief update confirming you're active and well — automatically, without you doing a thing.
Reassurance notifications are designed to be unobtrusive — informative enough to give peace of mind, brief enough to stay out of the way. SMS delivery is coming soon — currently notifications are delivered within the Kino ecosystem.
Automatic · SMS coming soonPeace of mind about privacy
What Kino never does
We believe the strongest trust comes from clear limits. Here's what Kino explicitly doesn't do.
No message reading
Kino cannot and does not access your messages, emails, photos, or any other personal content.
No continuous surveillance
Kino takes periodic snapshots of your activity, not a second-by-second stream. You're not being watched.
No raw health data upload
Your actual step count stays on your device. Only a derived status signal leaves your phone.
No advertising
We don't sell your data or serve ads. Kino earns revenue through optional Kino Pro subscriptions only.
No medical claims
Kino is a reassurance tool, not a medical device. It doesn't diagnose, monitor, or treat any health condition.