Right direction
Overall, I think this is on the right track, though one obvious problem is the text-to-speech feature... what's called "File TTS" isn't actually text to speech.... it's ASR/STT. That label should be corrected.
On top of that, there's already a way to input text and preview how it sounds using the TTS models, so I don't understand why that same option isn't available for other text I'd want converted.
Paying an API provider to run some massive model makes no sense to me when my own device has plenty of processing power for the job, and the drop in quality would be perfectly tolerable.
Response from developer
Thanks for the honest review, and you are completely right about that label. That tab is for file transcription, so it is ASR, not text to speech. Calling it "File TTS" was my mistake. It is now "File ASR" and the fix is in the next update. Your second point is a fair hit, and the credit is yours: I had not thought of it. You were right that it made no sense for the local voices to work in the preview box with no way to point them at anything else. The pieces turned out to be mostly there already and just needed wiring together, so I built it. There is now a "Text to Audio" feature that turns any text or document into an audio file using the speech models already on your device, processed in chunks so a long article or a book chapter works fine, and you can resume one you stopped partway. It ships in the next update. I agree with you on the last point. The phone has plenty of power for this job, the local voices sound good enough, and nothing needs to leave the device or cost anything to run. Thanks for taking the time to write this up.
Hands down one of the best iOS harness/inference clients.
Now this is how app development SHOULD be like. Major respect to the team, and thank you. Infinitely appreciated.
Response from developer
Thank you so much for this. This kind of message is what makes the work worth it. It means a great deal to hear that the regular updates are landing well. My goal has always been to make running AI on iOS feel simple and private, and to keep improving it with every release. I have plenty more planned, and reviews like yours are exactly what keeps the momentum going. If you ever run into something you would like to see improved or added, I would love to hear it. Thank you again for the kind words and the support.
Excellent
Response from developer
Thanks so much for the kind review, and for the five stars. I love that you use Privacy AI to see what your device can really do. That is exactly what I hoped for: a private place to try models hands-on before you pick one for your own apps. Fair point on it feeling crowded. It got that way because I wanted to fit in as much as I could. I am always working to make it easier to get around. If something ever feels buried, just let me know. Thanks again for the writing.
What’s in a name?
Response from developer
Thanks for the kind words, really glad the capabilities have impressed you! You are complete correct about the app's name. When I chose the name, I just wanted to express the idea that privacy protection is at the core of the app. But after it went live, I realized there are quite a few apps with similar names on the App Store, which makes it hard to find mine. I will admit that was a bad call on my part. Appreciate the top marks regardless. Thank you!
Very cool app
Analytics are enabled by default too, so it is requiring users to opt-out by default. These can change in the future but show the direction to begin with and are often followed by typical dev review replies with attempted justifications. Doesn’t escape the contradictory.
Solid UI.
Not a lot of justification in contrast, no thanks.
Response from developer
You are right that "Privacy AI" sets a high bar, and I want to address your points honestly rather than talk past them. On analytics: the app has no server and requires no account registration. Your conversations, your AI outputs, and your API keys never leave your device. The only third-party data collection is Google Analytics, which captures aggregate feature usage, things like which features are popular and how often certain screens are visited. It does not touch your conversations or any personal content. I acknowledge the contradiction: even aggregate analytics sits uneasily under a privacy-focused name, and I understand why that bothers you. If you prefer no data is sent at all, you can disable analytics entirely in Settings and nothing will be transmitted. If you want to go further and verify that yourself, the app has built-in proxy support for mitmproxy and Charles. You can route all traffic through either tool and audit exactly what is sent out in plain text. Or if you prefer, you can use any network traffic monitoring software you trust, such as Wireshark, to inspect the same data independently. I am comfortable saying that openly because I have nothing to hide there. On the subscription: A lifetime purchase model would pull my attention toward supporting a growing base of one-time buyers rather than building new features. The subscription keeps me focused on the things that actually make the app better for everyone using it. Thank you for the kind words on the UI. That means a lot. If you have more questions or want to dig into any of this further, feel free to reach out at customercare@acmeup.com, on Discord, or on X at @best_privacy_ai. I am happy to talk through it.
