Last night Organic Maps was removed from the Play Store without any warnings or additional details due to “not meeting the requirements for the Family Program”. Compared to Google Maps and other maps apps rated for 3+ age, there are no ads or in-app purchases in Organic Maps. We have asked for an appeal.
As a temporary workaround for the Google Play issue, you can install the new upcoming Google Play update from this link: https://cdn.organicmaps.app/apk/OrganicMaps-24081605-GooglePlay.apk
The Announcement on various Networks:
Fosstodon Post
Twitter Post
Telegram Post
If you don’t know what Organic Maps is, it is an alternative to OsmAnd and google maps, more info on the official site (link) and GitHub.
Maybe an error? Honestly this is a weird one. I hope we will learn more in the coming hours.
You can still get it on the other channels, like F-Droid or Obtainium. Still, we all know that not being on the Play Store is an heavy sentence for any Android app.
EDITs
- Added F-Droid link.
- Fixed Typo in the obtainium link.
More people should know about F-droid.
You can also install via Accrescent or Obtainium. It’s a shame none of these options were mentioned in the OP.
Actually Obtainium is mentioned (but thank you, checking back I saw I had a typo in the github link that I had missed, and I’ve now fixed it!), but this is the first time I hear about Accrescent: is it this App store?
Actually Obtainium is mentioned
I meant the post from OM.
this is the first time I hear about Accrescent: is it this App store?
yes, thats the one. It’s relatively new, and the new default app store in GrapheneOS.
Won’t it? I thought you just needed to enable the apps you want. My fdroid AntennaPod is certainly usable in it.
It didn’t appear for me until I reinstalled from play store
Didn’t investigate more
You have to enable “Unwanted Features” in F-Droid settings before it shows up.
Link to the app: https://f-droid.org/packages/app.organicmaps/
It states the OpenStreetMap data is from May. Is it fully offline and needs to wait for the next app update?
Streisand effect
Never heard of this app until now
It’s built on open street maps and is great for trail stuff: hiking, dirt biking, horse riding, etc.
Does anyone know why the only public transport option is “subway”? I don’t get why they would only index subways.
It’s kind of weird to give that instead of just a general PT option that routes multi-modally with a menu to disable each type manually.
I’d first heard of it yesterday when I saw it recommended here somewhere.
However, I wouldn’t assume maliciousness over incompetence. It is Google after all… Anybody who has ever published anything on there has probably had it removed at some point. There’s so many malicious apps and spurious reports, it could honestly be anything. The smaller your app, the longer it takes for an actual human to get involved and sort it out.
Lol Google scared
They’ve just convinced me to try it. It looks surprisingly good. I’d only wish there was a satellite layer. Or is there a way to download it?
Nope, its desgined for offline use, which is just not compatible with huge image files. I dont know what source they would use for sat images, but that would probably complicate things a lot either way. Also if you load sat image tiles from a webserver, then that server/provider will also always know your location.
Storage space is not an issue for me and it wouldn’t be for others if this was optional. I guess the only problem is, as you say, where to get satellite images for an app that doesn’t make money.
Google should really think about being nicer to competitors right now. Yet another reason it needs to be broken up by Lina Khan and the FTC.
I’m such a major fan of the FTC and Chair Khan right now. This is spot on.
Wow. At least it’s easy to sideload apps in Android.
The only way to get it outside of sideloading is flashing a custom ROM like LineageOS that includes it. It’s not exactly available in the play store.
