New to GrapheneOS and still need to use Google Maps

sappy_junior728

I just bought a Google Pixel 9 and I intend to flash this to GrapeheneOS. This is going to be my travel phone and I know I should avoid Google, but Google Maps is essential for travelling. I have no intention of installing any other Google app except for Google Maps. Is it possible to securely segregate Google Maps, airline, and hotel apps from the rest of the OS, such as whatever FOSS apps I may install, including web browsers? I know the privacy and security risks will not be zero if I have Google apps installed and signed in.

Thx!

GrouchyGrape

sappy_junior728 a common solution to this is to utilize the private space feature. Put all Google apps in there. Unlock it when you need them, lock it when you don't.

DeletedUser622

sappy_junior728 Is Goolag Maps the only app which suits your needs? Have you considered offline alternatives like Osmand and Organic Maps?

mattachu

sappy_junior728

There's nothing wrong with using google apps or google play services. If you install google play services it's a regular app with no extra or special permissions.

Some people want zero google in their lives and that's okay too. It's up to you and your threat model if you use google services or not there is no 'should avoid google'.

Ask yourself why you want to avoid google and go from there. Google does not necessarily = bad. There are some interesting articles here if you want to have a read.

That being said here is something that may work for you.

I have installed the gmapswv app. It's a web view of google maps where you can search for wherever you like and then you tap on the location and tap share. It will copy the coordinates to your clipboard. I then use comaps which you can use completely offline. Paste the coordinates into comaps and away you go.

Google maps is hard to beat and I will use it if I'm in a huge city and need live traffic etc but for everyday getting around the above method works well.

sappy_junior728

GrouchyGrape

I have no experience with GOS yet. How does private space work, and what would the use case be like with a main profile?

sappy_junior728

DeletedUser622

I prefer Google Maps over anything else when traveling. The app just works. I don't even like Apple Maps.

GrouchyGrape

sappy_junior728 a private space is very similar to a completely separate user profile, except it's accessed from within a profile. The convenience is, you don't have to switch profiles to access apps within it, but can still lock the space, putting it's data at rest and killing all the apps from running.

The con is, isolation between it and the parent profile isn't technically as strong (if I understand it correctly), but it's still really good and is a great way to disable apps from running that don't need to be running all the time.

I put apps from Google Play Store here, including banking, maps, games, etc. 90+% of the time it's locked and everything there is turned off. I only unlock it when I need it, then re-lock when I'm done. Works great

Vomitorius

Private space and use without login

becomeparmesan

mattachu doing the same with Gmaps WV and it can basically do anything except navigate, highly recommended

GosGrape

I have Google maps webapp in my main user and the app in private space with gps. I also use organic maps but infrequently. I plan to try the comaps fork