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8mo ago

Google removed Organic Maps from the Play Store

fosstodon.org

Organic Maps (@organicmaps@fosstodon.org)

OpenStreetMap Italia Community @feddit.it

Mannivu @feddit.it

8mo ago

Organic Maps è stato rimosso da Google Play Store

fosstodon.org /@organicmaps/112976308191001762

Android @lemdro.id

randomaccount43543 @lemmy.world

8mo ago

Google removed Organic Maps from the Play Store

fosstodon.org /@organicmaps/112976308191001762

75 comments

Does Google not currently have an anti trust lawsuit going on? Fine addition of them abusing their quasi monopoly position. But maybe they want to use this as argument "look people could just get it from fdroid" or something like that. IANAL
BTW does removal mean phones with enabled google protect will ask users to uninstall the app? I have this "feature" disabled.
- play protect sucks, ye. I think I might just go for f-droid only for my next phone.
  I'll lose tiktok, but whatever
  
  Fuck tiktok
  
  There's the Aurora Store on F-Droid that lets you install apps from Google's store without giving any data/account info to Google. Works pretty well!
- It just automated and low level employees doing shitty reviews. It happens, anti Google folks laser in screaming about the end of the world, Google fixes it.
  None of you people even know what anti trust even means anymore. Just some bogey man people scream when they don't like a corporation.

Solution: don't install it from the Google Play Store. F-Droid and Obtainium exist.
- This is a workaround for tech savvy people, but pretty far from the point here. This move is bad for the community and bad for the app. Play Store brings orders of magnitude more exposure and users
  
  Most non-tech savy people aren't even looking for an alternative map app. They are just going to use the one that comes pre packaged on their phone.
- Your mirror might have problems. In the F-Droid settings → Repositories → F-Droid, you could try deactivating mirrors to see, if it works then.
  
  I just reinstalled it without any problems.
  
  You might have to uninstall first
- Android Auto won't work that way.
- true. adding https://github.com/organicmaps/organicmaps to Obtainium installs latest version of 27th July without issues.
  
  Go though F-droid if you can. It adds another layer of verification

On the bright side I had never heard of this app. So thanks I'm checking it out now
- It's probably the best of the free and open source maps. I use it almost every day.
  
  It is also apparently a threat to Google. If Google fears it then it must be solid. (Spoiler: it is as I use it)
- Basically Osmand mini. Simple and not much settings but good enough defaults.

This means I want to install organic maps now.
Update: I like it, it got us home quicker than google yesterday. And the route was less boring
- https://f-droid.org/packages/app.organicmaps/
  
  Got it installed! Thank you!

Damn, that means Google sees Organic maps as a threat. It is crazy how good it is.
- It's getting good. I keep it as an alternative to OSMAnd, but find that Organic maps are harder to read and missing a lot of detail compared to OSMAnd.

Well, at least now Google won't try to update the app I installed through F-Droid.
- This 😂
- On Aurora store I block the apps I have installed via F-Droid so it doesn't try to update them. Maybe you can do the same with the Play store

evil

- Google just made it more popular
  You can get it off of F-droid
  
  I just installed it and I'll test it tomorrow morning! Thanks google

That's one of the reasons why we need to breaking up google. They use gapps and play store to control the android ecosystem.

Organic Maps is also available via https://accrescent.app/ which is developed by a GrapheneOS community member and even hosted in the GrapheneOS App Store.
Accrescent is a private and secure Android app store built with modern features in mind. It aims to provide a developer-friendly platform and pleasant user experience while enforcing modern security and privacy practices and offering robust validity guarantees for installed apps.
Accrescent comes from within the GrapheneOS community and we're collaborating together.
https://grapheneos.social/@GrapheneOS/112821386750410102
- A grapheneos community member is just a random person
  
  A grapheneos community member is just a random person
  A random person that is mentioned specifically by the official GrapheneOS account, not to mention that GrapheneOS has said Accrescent is their recommended app store above F-Droid. Maybe Accrescent dev is not a GrapheneOS core dev, but still a step up, with more credibility, than just "a random person."
- Just get it from F-droid and be done with it.
  
  Or "just get it from Accrescent and be done with it?" Are you implying if you get it from Accrescent, you're somehow not done with it? Sorry, I don't follow your logic.
  Also, no thanks on F-Droid as GrapheneOS recommends against and there are multiple security issues:
  F-Droid has far too many security and trust issues for us to recommend it. The vast majority of apps in the official F-Droid repository are built on their sketchy infrastructure and signed with their own keys. We're concerned about a future mass compromise of F-Droid users.
  https://x.com/GrapheneOS/status/1803185925112934533
  https://privsec.dev/posts/android/f-droid-security-issues/

Any info what the exact problem they had was? Can you search for brothels in that app or what? (I remember you can in OsmAnd)
- There's nothing you can find in open street maps that is not also going to have an equivalent in Google maps. There's no messaging capability in the app. There aren't even photos, except if you link it with Wikipedia. I can't think of a single reason why this would get flagged, even accidentally.
  
  Well some Wikipedia articles could be construed as not appropriate for kids if you’re dead set on removing the app.
  I’m thinking of things like Auschwitz or Hiroshima or the Twin Towers where content could be objectionable for children, but also that’s a terrible argument because it’s Wikipedia and it’s a fantastic educational resource.
  
  There definitely is data in OSM that isn't in Google Maps, that is what makes OSM so great! :D
  
  But Wikipedia app is on the Google store... I won't pretend to understand the logic of the indefensible.

I literally downloaded this two days ago. Wtf
- Get Organic Maps from F-Droid. Start taking power away from Google. It's in your own hands.
- Next up: StreetComplete.
  
  Fuck pokemon go all my homies play streetcomplete
  
  Ok. Downloaded. Let's see how it goes.
- Likewise, new android user and it's far easier than OSM in my Vivaldi browser.

As much as I love fdroid and I love to be in a community where this recommendation is made repeatedly, the announcement suggests to download from https://cdn.organicmaps.app/apk/OrganicMaps-24081605-GooglePlay.apk while they appeal. From the way they wrote the announcement, I understand Android Auto won't work with the fdroid version.
- I'm angry that Google prevents sideloaded apps from running on Android Auto. I think this is against the recent EU laws about gatekeepers.

That's funny I just installed it yesterday but decided to use f-droid instead. Going to be my default going forward.

It's back up now. It seems to have been a mistake to block it.
- They are testing out how the community would respond :]
- This is not the first time the play store removes an app for absolutely no reason and then refuses to explain why it did so, and it won't be the last. Usually they don't just reinstate the app for no reason.
  I don't think it was a mistake, but even if it was, they do not have proper communications to resolve such mistakes.

It's back! https://fosstodon.org/@organicmaps/112982935184446753
- I see it too! https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=app.organicmaps