Can Aurora transcribe a lecture on an iPhone?

The short answer

For a lecture or a seminar you attend, Aurora suits note-taking on an iPhone. It does not join as a bot. It listens through the phone, separates speakers, and writes the summary when you stop. Recording, transcription, separation and summaries run on the device. Aurora is local-first, not network-free; the Privacy Notice lists the other paths that exist.

Where to put the phone

• Front rows, near the lecturer, give clearer audio. Far away and in noisy rooms the transcript degrades.
• On a seminar table, place it where most voices can be heard.
• If you wear headphones for a call, the phone hears only you; Aurora is for the room, not a call bot.
• Keep the microphone clear. Do not cover it with a case, papers or a bag.
• Ask if recording is allowed. Departments and venues can set their own rules.

Tips for better results

• Say names in full. If someone introduces themselves, the model can read the name out of what was said.
• Minimize crosstalk. Overlapping questions are harder to separate cleanly.
• Review after class. A second pass can refine words and relabel speakers; check quotes after it finishes.
• Mind battery and storage. Long lectures use both; charge first and free some space.
• Slides are not captured. Aurora makes text from speech; capture slides separately if you need them.

About recording other people

Ask before you record. Laws and university rules differ, and a venue may add its own policy on top of the law. Recording and consent is a short guide, not legal advice; it links to the rules that apply in common cases.

Limits to expect

• Speaker lanes are not perfect. Crowded rooms and distant microphones yield worse labels. We publish measured error rates in What Aurora's speaker attribution actually scores.
• Export format is plain text. You can share or save the transcript as text and paste it into your notes.
• Long sessions use battery and storage. Aurora records sessions much longer than an hour; the battery cost per hour is not published yet.

If you are choosing between products

Call joiners and desktop tools suit video calls and teams. Aurora suits in-person work where audio should stay on the phone. Read the comparisons:

• Best Otter alternative for iPhone: a notetaker that joins your calls against one that stays on your phone.
• Best Granola alternative for iPhone: no bot either way, but the audio goes to different places.
• Best Plaud alternative for iPhone: an app on the iPhone you already own against a recorder you buy.

How to try Aurora

Aurora is in a private beta on TestFlight, free while it lasts. Invites go out in waves to people on the waitlist, one email each when the invite is ready.

Read Aurora for iPhone for a session step by step, and What Aurora does for the capability list with status labels.