dlb Actually, I have no idea. I use it as you can buy a subscription outside Playstore direct from Sygic, the maps are offline and are way better than Magic Earth. Additionally, there is something going on with Magic Earth that makes my phone overheat. This does not happen with Sygic.
What is the Best offline Navigation most similar to Google maps, and why?
Another alternative is to install Google Maps, download a map, and then revoke network access.
Google maps only allows an offline map for 1 or 2 weeks. After that you have to connect again. And when you do connect it uploads all the data it has gathered from you since it was last connected. It gathers your location and records wifi data as long as its running and uploads all of it when it reconnects to the internet. Just FYI.
This may still not be a problem for the user depending on their scenario.
Also google maps is still superior for other things like business info and other location information such as bus stops. Has more detail.
I personally have separate profile just for Gmaps in case I ever need to look up this kind of information. I don't use it for navigation though because I don't wanna give it my location.
Nobody said anything about Waze. Yes, it's Google, but I'll happily learn something today from your thoughts about it.
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User2288 Also google maps is still superior for other things like business info and other location information such as bus stops.
Hmm.
I used the excellent and default public transit layer on OsmAnd to look up bus stop locations AND the routes they serve, and the bus stop numbers just a few hours ago. Then I entered a bus stop number into the front page of my city's public transit website and got realtime arrival information for the routes arriving at that stop.
I did this while significantly protecting my privacy and not having to look at ads that are always major clutter to me (Google maps). I did not even have to install a public transit app which is piled with a horrific number of trackers and ads, or being tracked by Google because I had to enable Play Store (GMS) to use the app.
My personal location and movements are private information I always want to protect. I am glad to be able to easily do so.
The pedestrian and cycling layers on OpenStreetMap in my city are top notch too.
I didn't like OsmAnd when I first started using it, but now that I'm used to it I prefer it over everything else.
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spiral With OSMAnd I downloaded my local map but since I do not use google services I could not get anything to work until I changed location source to android api. My default setting was for google play services
I thought OSMAND uses a lot of battery. My phone gets hot and the battery runs down fast. This is with offline maps downloaded.
Organic maps seems to work, but i have to manually find where I am going to, then press on it, make a placemark then say navigate to it.
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ve3jlg You may be right. In truth I really haven't used OsmAnd much at all. I generally don't need and don't use navigation and maps at all. My extent of using OsmAnd was probably half an hour. When I first installed it I fiddled around with it for half an hour to figure things out. I'm a technical person and not easily put off by complicated things, but rather quickly I felt overwhelmed with all the settings and not knowing what the hell is going on. Couldn't "get into it" easily.
Just playing around, the map layer also felt rather heavy and sluggish. The color scheme of the map also put me off as things didn't "look" as clear to me. This may be a "google" syndrome that we have all developed, if it looks different you are thrown off by "feel".
Anyway I left it to explore later and haven't opened the app since. I'm saying this to say that I may not be a good judge of OsmAnd at all because I really haven't used it enough. I also wanted to point out how easily "feel" and what we are used to can throws us off and have us not use something.
In my area (CAN) the transit system itself relies on google maps (which is sad). But its possible that OsmAnd may be on par.
The slow and sluggish feel I felt might be because of the amount of things the app is doing and how it renderes things. It would also explain the battery drain that @zehyani mentioned.
I've been 'playing' with magic earth, osmand and Organic maps... I also have tried out Gmaps WV.
Of these - Gmaps WV works well for browsing - but no nav. OSMAND just doesn't work well at all for nav/address search. Organic maps and/or Magic Earth seem to be a wash regarding nav...
Navigation on my GOS device just isn't great... like many others - I want gmaps functionality with out its spying... seems there isn't a 100% solution here
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User2288 My extent of using OsmAnd was probably half an hour. When I first installed it I fiddled around with it for half an hour to figure things out. I'm a technical person and not easily put off by complicated things, but rather quickly I felt overwhelmed with all the settings
I agree that OsmAnd has a lot of configurability. It can be challenging to learn it all.
Just playing around, the map layer also felt rather heavy and sluggish. The color scheme of the map also put me off as things didn't "look" as clear to me.
I have not encountered "sluggish" personally . The map appearance is very configurable - there are "themes" you can select. I have, like you, not always liked their default choices for readability, or even their map "themes" without tweaking.
I think OSmAnd would do better to next hire and listen to a good UI/UX person rather than a coder.
This may be a "google" syndrome that we have all developed, if it looks different you are thrown off by "feel".
Anyway I left it to explore later and haven't opened the app since. I'm saying this to say that I may not be a good judge of OsmAnd at all because I really haven't used it enough. I also wanted to point out how easily "feel" and what we are used to can throws us off and have us not use something.
Google reportedly does a lot of usability A/B testing. OsmAnd, Im certain hasn't even come close to that, and as installed is challenging. If one spends the time it can be customized quite nicely IMO.
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zehyani I thought OSMAND uses a lot of battery. My phone gets hot and the battery runs down fast. This is with offline maps downloaded.
Interesting. I often use OsmAnd with route tracking ("recording") , so I can review my trip after for fun and interest. I have found little battery use in doing that. However that is almost totally with the map (screen) off and just the location data with time being recorded, and only occasional looks at my position on the map. My P7 does not get hot at all. I have been surprised, after the many reports otherwise.
I suspect another operating setting difference between my phone and others.
dlb Realistically there is no better navigation on mobile device than Google maps. So I am searching a similar one. I care about privacy, that's why I'm here.
What is best in your opinion and what is similar to gmaps.
I care about privacy so am not using Google software at all now, so I cannot answer your question. Sorry.
Magic Earth is the best there is after Google Maps. It is at least relatively private and fully functional. Navigation App is one of those aspects where you may need to surrender some privacy in order to drive safely without having to find yourself and your vehicle slowly drowning in a lake as you tell your passangers "Navigation App said to drive forward, so..."
pdagenius How were you able to buy the subscription? I have Sygic on my GrapheneOS P7, nothing Google installed, and when I click to buy the subscription, I get an error message. I tried uninstalling Sygic, installing Google stuff from Apps and reinstalling Sygic, still no luck.
I've e-mailed the company for help on other ways to license it but haven't heard back yet.
So no love for Waze?