01Which iPhones can run StoneTell?

Any iPhone with iOS 26 or later — that’s iPhone 11 and newer, and iPhone SE (2nd generation) and newer. To check, open Settings → General → About. The app is in English and Simplified Chinese.

02Can we try it without a rock?

Yes. On the camera screen, tap “Samples” and pick one under “Try a sample rock”. Chip keeps a drawer of sample rocks in the app, so you can try an identification — and the detective tests — from the couch. If the camera can’t be used, “Try a sample rock” shows up right there too.

03Why does my rock show up as a Mystery Rock?

It means Chip couldn’t match your photo to one of the 24 rocks and minerals StoneTell knows so far. Either your rock isn’t one of them yet, or the photo doesn’t show enough of it. Real geologists find mystery rocks all the time!

To crack the case:

• Try another photo — in daylight, close enough that the rock fills the frame, from another side, with a coin beside it for size.
• Run the detective tests. When Chip is torn between a few suspects, the scratch, streak and magnet tests help tell them apart. Some tests need a grown-up.

You can also file it as a Mystery Rock.

04What is “Second opinion”?

An optional extra check, and it’s off by default. When it’s on and Chip is unsure about a photo, the app sends that photo and Chip’s guesses to StoneTell’s server for a second look. It never sends a name, account or location, and the server doesn’t keep the photo.

Only a grown-up can turn it on: in Field Kit, under “For grown-ups”, switch on “Second opinion from StoneTell”. It first asks a question only a grown-up can answer. Anyone can turn it off. While it’s off, photos stay on the phone and unsure rocks get detective tests instead.

Everything that’s sent is listed in section 4 of the privacy policy.

05How do I delete everything?

In the app, open Field Kit and, under “Your data”, tap “Delete all my data”. It asks the grown-up question first, shows exactly what will be deleted, and asks once more before anything goes.

That erases every filed rock with its photo, map pin and place name, and everything else StoneTell keeps on the iPhone (the full list is in section 10 of the privacy policy). Your settings stay as they are. Deleting the app also removes everything it stored on the phone.

On our server, second-opinion records can’t be tied to anyone and are deleted automatically after 30 days. An email address left for a heads-up — in the app or on this website — stays until you ask us to remove it: just email us.

06Where’s the privacy policy?

Read the full privacy policy, also in 简体中文. The short version: rocks are identified on the iPhone, finds stay on the device, and the app has no ads, no accounts, no chat and no tracking.

01哪些 iPhone 可以使用 StoneTell？

装有 iOS 26 或更高版本的 iPhone 都可以，也就是 iPhone 11 及更新机型，以及 iPhone SE（第 2 代）及更新机型。查看系统版本：打开“设置”→“通用”→“关于本机”。App 提供英文和简体中文两种语言。

02手边没有石头，也能试试吗？

可以。在相机界面点“样本”，从“试试样本石头”里挑一块。小砾在 App 里备好了一批样本石头，坐在沙发上就能体验识别和侦探测试。如果相机暂时用不了，界面上也会直接出现“试试样本石头”。

03为什么我的石头显示为“神秘石头”？

这表示小砾没能把照片和 StoneTell 目前认识的 24 种岩石和矿物对上号：要么这块石头还不在其中，要么照片里看不清。真正的地质学家也经常碰到神秘石头！

想破案，可以这样做：

• 再拍一张试试：在白天的自然光下，靠近一点让石头填满画面，换一面拍，旁边放一枚硬币当比例尺。
• 做侦探测试：小砾在几个“嫌疑对象”之间拿不准时，划痕、条痕和磁铁测试能帮忙分辨。有些测试要请大人帮忙。

也可以直接把它当神秘石头入册。

04“第二意见”是什么？

一项可选的复查功能，默认关闭。打开后，只有在小砾对某张照片拿不准时，App 才会把那张照片和小砾的推测发送到 StoneTell 的服务器，请它再看一看。绝不会发送姓名、账号或位置，服务器也不保存照片。

只有大人能打开它：在“野外装备”（标签栏里的“装备”）的“大人专用”部分，打开“StoneTell 第二意见”。打开前要先回答一个只有大人才答得出的问题。任何人都可以随时关闭。关闭时，照片只留在手机上，拿不准的石头改用侦探测试来破案。

具体会发送哪些内容，见隐私政策第 4 节。

05怎样删除全部数据？

在 App 里打开“野外装备”（标签栏里的“装备”），在“你的数据”部分点“删除我的全部数据”。它会先进行大人验证，再列出将要删除的内容，并在删除前请你再确认一次。

所有入册的石头，连同照片、地图图钉和地名，以及 StoneTell 保存在这台 iPhone 上的其他内容，都会被删除（完整清单见隐私政策第 10 节）。你的设置保持不变。删除 App 也会清除它在手机上保存的全部内容。

在我们的服务器上，第二意见记录无法与任何人关联，会在 30 天后自动删除。为上线提醒留下的邮箱地址（无论来自 App 还是本网站）会一直保存，直到你要求删除——发邮件给我们即可。

06隐私政策在哪里？

请阅读完整的隐私政策（另有 English 版本）。简单来说：识别在 iPhone 上完成，发现留在设备上；App 里没有广告、账号、聊天或跟踪。