# Can Aurora transcribe a lecture on an iPhone? > Can Aurora transcribe lectures for students on an iPhone? Yes: it records, separates speakers and writes summaries on the device. What it is good at, where it struggles, what to say about consent, and how to try it. USE CASES · LECTURES AND STUDENTS Yes. Aurora records through the iPhone in the room, writes a live transcript with speaker lanes and produces a summary on the device. This page says when it works well, where it struggles, and what to say about recording. Published 31 October 2026 ## 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](https://auroraisyours.com/privacy/#app-egress) 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](https://auroraisyours.com/recording-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](https://auroraisyours.com/blog/speaker-attribution-measured). - **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](https://auroraisyours.com/compare/otter-alternative/): a notetaker that joins your calls against one that stays on your phone. - [Best Granola alternative for iPhone](https://auroraisyours.com/compare/granola-alternative/): no bot either way, but the audio goes to different places. - [Best Plaud alternative for iPhone](https://auroraisyours.com/compare/plaud-alternative/): 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. [Join the waitlist](https://auroraisyours.com/#waitlist) Read [Aurora for iPhone](https://auroraisyours.com/iphone/) for a session step by step, and [What Aurora does](https://auroraisyours.com/product/) for the capability list with status labels.