Terms of Use

1. Agreement to these Terms

These Terms of Use (“Terms”) are a binding agreement between you and Kaushik Dontula, a sole proprietor doing business as Focal (“Focal,” “we,” “us,” “our”), governing your use of the Focal iPhone app and the Focal Mac companion app. Our Privacy Policy is part of this agreement by reference.

If you downloaded Focal from the Apple App Store, Apple’s own Licensed Application End User License Agreement also applies. Where Apple’s required terms conflict with anything below, Apple’s required terms control, as described in Section 21.

By creating an account or using Focal, you accept these Terms in full. If you do not accept them, do not use Focal.

2. Eligibility

You must be at least 13 years old to use Focal. Focal does not verify your age at sign up and does not ask for a birthdate. By using the app, you represent that you meet this requirement. Focal requires iOS 17 or later on iPhone, and a compatible Mac for the companion app. Availability may vary by country based on the App Store.

3. Your account

You are responsible for providing accurate information and for keeping your login credentials secure, whether you sign in with Apple or with email and password. You are responsible for all activity under your account. If you believe your account has been compromised, contact us immediately using the details in Section 22.

4. License to use Focal

We grant you a personal, limited, revocable license to use Focal on devices you own or control, for your own personal use, subject to these Terms. This license is not transferable to anyone else. We may suspend or terminate this license if you violate these Terms.

5. What Focal does

Focal lets you start a lock in session during which, with your permission, it uses Apple’s Screen Time and Family Controls frameworks to block distracting apps on your iPhone. When a session ends, you can write a reflection and choose to share it with your mutual friends or keep it private. Focal also provides streaks, stats, a focus calendar, a weekly leaderboard, Live Activity and Dynamic Island support, and an optional Mac companion app.

Screen Time blocking, Health data reading, and other integrations depend entirely on permissions you grant through Apple’s own system prompts. If you decline them, related features will not work.

6. Not a medical service

Focal helps you protect focused time. It is not a medical or mental health service, and it does not diagnose, treat, or cure ADHD or any other condition. Nothing in the app is medical advice. If you have concerns about your focus, attention, or mental health, speak with a qualified professional.

7. User content

“User content” means anything you submit through Focal, including reflections, comments, your avatar, feedback messages and screenshots, and Focal Link survey responses. You retain ownership of your content. You grant us a license to host, store, and display it as needed to run Focal, including showing sessions you have marked visible to friends to your mutual friends.

You agree not to submit content that is illegal, harassing, hateful, infringing, or otherwise in violation of these Terms. We may remove content or restrict an account that violates this section.

8. Social features and moderation

Focal’s social features depend on mutual friend connections that you create. You can block another user or report a profile, session, or comment. We may investigate reports, remove content, or suspend accounts for abuse or violations of these Terms, without a guaranteed response time.

9. Acceptable use

You agree not to:

• Reverse engineer, decompile, or attempt to extract Focal’s source code, except where the law gives you an unwaivable right to do so
• Abuse invite codes or referrals, including by creating accounts solely to generate discounts
• Attempt to defeat Screen Time shields in order to falsify a streak or leaderboard position
• Use Focal for an unlawful purpose, or to harass, threaten, or harm anyone
• Interfere with the normal operation of Focal or its backend

10. Trial, Lifetime purchase, and referrals

Focal offers a 7 day free trial with full access, managed by the app itself rather than through Apple’s introductory offer system. Your trial clock is set once, when your account is created, and cannot be reset by signing out, reinstalling the app, or switching devices.

After the trial ends, continued access requires a one time, non consumable Lifetime purchase, processed through Apple’s App Store at the price shown to you at checkout (full price, or a referral price if you redeemed a valid invite code). This is not a subscription and does not auto renew. Purchases can be restored through Apple’s standard restore process. Refunds are handled by Apple under Apple’s own refund policies. We do not process refunds directly.

If you use a referral code, or someone uses yours, a one time discount applies to the Lifetime price on both accounts, without stacking, and without extending or resetting either party’s trial. Using or receiving a referral code does not create a friend connection between accounts. You may not use your own invite code.

11. Focal Link

Focal may display an optional survey about a possible future hardware product, Focal Link. Submitting this survey is only an expression of interest. It is not a pre order, creates no obligation for you to purchase anything, and does not guarantee any ship date, feature, or price.

12. Integrations

Focal may integrate with other Apple frameworks or apps at your option, including Apple Workouts (through HealthKit, read only), Apple Shortcuts, and App Intents. Your use of these integrations is also governed by Apple’s own terms for those services. We are not responsible for the behavior of any Apple framework or third party app.

13. Intellectual property

The Focal name, logo, app design, and underlying software are owned by Kaushik Dontula or applicable licensors. Nothing in these Terms transfers any of that ownership to you. You may not use Focal’s name, logo, or branding without our prior written permission.

14. Third party services

Focal depends on Apple (for sign in, Screen Time, HealthKit, push notifications, and payments) and Supabase (for backend hosting in Canada). Your use of Focal is also subject to Apple’s own terms where they apply. We do not control, and are not responsible for, the availability or behavior of these third party services.

15. Disclaimer of warranties

FOCAL IS PROVIDED STRICTLY ON AN “AS IS” AND “AS AVAILABLE” BASIS, WITHOUT WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, WHETHER EXPRESS, IMPLIED, OR STATUTORY, INCLUDING WITHOUT LIMITATION ANY IMPLIED WARRANTY OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, TITLE, OR NON INFRINGEMENT. WE DO NOT WARRANT THAT FOCAL WILL BE UNINTERRUPTED, ERROR FREE, OR SECURE, THAT SCREEN TIME SHIELDS WILL BLOCK EVERY DISTRACTING APP IN EVERY CIRCUMSTANCE, OR THAT USING FOCAL WILL IMPROVE YOUR FOCUS, PRODUCTIVITY, OR ANY OTHER PERSONAL OUTCOME. YOU USE FOCAL ENTIRELY AT YOUR OWN RISK.

16. Limitation of liability

TO THE MAXIMUM EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW:

(A) IN NO EVENT WILL KAUSHIK DONTULA, OPERATING AS FOCAL, BE LIABLE TO YOU FOR ANY INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, EXEMPLARY, OR PUNITIVE DAMAGES, OR FOR ANY LOSS OF DATA, LOSS OF USE, LOSS OF GOODWILL, OR LOSS OF ANTICIPATED SAVINGS OR PROFITS, ARISING OUT OF OR RELATED TO YOUR USE OF FOCAL, EVEN IF WE HAVE BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES.

(B) OUR TOTAL, AGGREGATE LIABILITY TO YOU FOR ANY AND ALL CLAIMS ARISING OUT OF OR RELATED TO FOCAL OR THESE TERMS WILL NOT EXCEED THE TOTAL AMOUNT, IF ANY, THAT YOU ACTUALLY PAID TO US IN THE TWELVE (12) MONTHS BEFORE THE EVENT GIVING RISE TO THE CLAIM. IF YOU HAVE NOT MADE A LIFETIME PURCHASE, OR HAVE ONLY USED THE FREE TRIAL, OUR TOTAL LIABILITY TO YOU IS ZERO.

(C) THESE LIMITATIONS APPLY REGARDLESS OF THE LEGAL THEORY ON WHICH A CLAIM IS BASED, WHETHER CONTRACT, TORT, NEGLIGENCE, STRICT LIABILITY, OR OTHERWISE, AND EVEN IF ANY REMEDY FAILS OF ITS ESSENTIAL PURPOSE.

(D) SOME JURISDICTIONS DO NOT ALLOW THE EXCLUSION OR LIMITATION OF CERTAIN DAMAGES, AND DO NOT ALLOW LIABILITY TO BE LIMITED OR EXCLUDED FOR GROSS NEGLIGENCE, FRAUD, OR DEATH OR PERSONAL INJURY CAUSED BY NEGLIGENCE. IN THOSE JURISDICTIONS, OR FOR THOSE TYPES OF CLAIMS, SOME OR ALL OF THE ABOVE LIMITATIONS MAY NOT APPLY TO YOU, AND OUR LIABILITY WILL BE LIMITED TO THE SMALLEST AMOUNT PERMITTED BY LAW.

17. Indemnification

You agree to indemnify, defend, and hold harmless Kaushik Dontula, operating as Focal, from and against any and all claims, damages, losses, liabilities, costs, and expenses, including reasonable attorneys’ fees, arising out of or related to your user content, your violation of these Terms, your violation of any law or the rights of a third party, or your misuse of Focal.

18. Termination

You may stop using Focal and delete your account at any time, as described in our Privacy Policy. We may suspend or terminate your access to Focal, without notice, if you violate these Terms, misuse the app, or abuse other users. Sections 6, 13, 15, 16, 17, and 20 through 22 survive any termination of these Terms.

19. Changes to these Terms

We may update these Terms as Focal changes. The “Last updated” date at the top reflects the most recent revision. For material changes, we will make a reasonable effort to notify you inside the app. Your continued use of Focal after a change takes effect means you accept the updated Terms.

20. Governing law, arbitration, and class action waiver

Governing law

These Terms are governed by the laws of the State of New York, without regard to its conflict of law principles, except where applicable law requires a different result.

Arbitration agreement

You and Focal agree that any dispute, claim, or controversy arising out of or relating to these Terms or your use of Focal will be resolved by binding, individual arbitration, rather than in court, except that either party may bring an individual claim in small claims court if it qualifies.

Class action waiver

You and Focal agree that any arbitration or proceeding will be conducted only on an individual basis, and not as a class, consolidated, or representative action.

Opt out

You may opt out of this arbitration agreement by sending written notice to the contact address in Section 22 within 30 days of first accepting these Terms. If you opt out, disputes will instead be resolved in the state or federal courts located in New York, and you and Focal each waive any right to a jury trial.

21. Apple required terms

You acknowledge and agree that:

• This agreement is between you and Kaushik Dontula, operating as Focal, and not with Apple. Apple is not a party to this agreement and has no obligation whatsoever to furnish any maintenance or support services for Focal.
• Apple has no warranty obligation whatsoever with respect to Focal. Any product warranty, whether express or required by law, is our sole responsibility, and is limited as described in Sections 15 and 16 above.
• Apple is not responsible for addressing any claims by you or a third party relating to Focal or your possession or use of it, including product liability claims, claims that Focal fails to conform to legal or regulatory requirements, and claims arising under consumer protection or similar legislation.
• Apple is not responsible for the investigation, defense, settlement, or discharge of any claim that Focal or your possession or use of it infringes a third party’s intellectual property rights.
• Apple, and Apple’s subsidiaries, are third party beneficiaries of these Terms, and upon your acceptance, Apple has the right, and will be deemed to have accepted the right, to enforce these Terms against you as a third party beneficiary.

22. Contact us

Kaushik Dontula, doing business as Focal
153 Norfolk St, Apt 0G
New York, NY
United States

Email: kdontula0@gmail.com