this post was submitted on 17 Aug 2024

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Last night Organic Maps was removed from the Play Store (feddit.it)

submitted 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago) by Mechanize@feddit.it to c/foss@beehaw.org

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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.

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[–] Churbleyimyam@lemm.ee 178 points 3 weeks ago (16 children)

More people should know about F-droid.

[–] Mechanize@feddit.it 51 points 3 weeks ago

You are right, and I forgot to add the link to it in the opening post. I'll edit it in!

[–] helenslunch@feddit.nl 16 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago) (1 children)

You can also install via Accrescent or Obtainium. It's a shame none of these options were mentioned in the OP.

[–] Mechanize@feddit.it 10 points 3 weeks ago (6 children)

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?

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[–] Moonrise2473@feddit.it 14 points 3 weeks ago (2 children)

big disadvantage: if installed via fdroid, it won't work on android auto

[–] stsquad@lemmy.ml 24 points 3 weeks ago (2 children)

Won't it? I thought you just needed to enable the apps you want. My fdroid AntennaPod is certainly usable in it.

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[–] Cube6392@beehaw.org 10 points 3 weeks ago

Correction: yes it will. Source: that's how I installed it

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[–] x4740N@lemm.ee 128 points 3 weeks ago (3 children)

Streisand effect

Never heard of this app until now

[–] odium@programming.dev 69 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

It's built on open street maps and is great for trail stuff: hiking, dirt biking, horse riding, etc.

[–] hannesh93 20 points 3 weeks ago

Was using Osmand before and it's a lot nicer to use for day to day navigation on the bike than the sluggy mess Osmand sometimes is

[–] Twitches@lemm.ee 15 points 3 weeks ago (7 children)

Same

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[–] Rooskie91@discuss.online 80 points 3 weeks ago (2 children)

Lol Google scared

[–] Blizzard@lemmy.zip 28 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

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?

[–] unexposedhazard@discuss.tchncs.de 10 points 3 weeks ago (5 children)

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.

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[–] N0body@lemmy.dbzer0.com 68 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

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.

[–] ninjaphysics@beehaw.org 8 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

I'm such a major fan of the FTC and Chair Khan right now. This is spot on.

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[–] communism@lemmy.ml 65 points 3 weeks ago (3 children)

Wow. At least it's easy to sideload apps in Android.

[–] JoMomma@lemm.ee 39 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago) (1 children)

F-Droid, no "side loading" needed

[–] Catsrules@lemmy.ml 27 points 3 weeks ago (2 children)

Don't you need to side load F-Droid? That is what I did.

[–] princessnorah@lemmy.blahaj.zone 8 points 3 weeks ago (9 children)

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.

[–] JoMomma@lemm.ee 13 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago) (8 children)

What in the world are you all calling "side loading" you just download the APK and install it. No cables, no ADB, no side loading

Edit, I guess kids these days are calling downloading APKs side loading lol

[–] odelik@lemmy.today 17 points 3 weeks ago (3 children)

ITT: Witnessing somebody learning what sideloading is and isn't as technical as they think it is.

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[–] princessnorah@lemmy.blahaj.zone 11 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago) (3 children)

Installing an APK directly is sideloading. It's literally on the "Get F-Droid" page:

To side-load our app store you may simply have to download the official F-Droid APK and install it.

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[–] JoMomma@lemm.ee 8 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

No, you just download it

[–] Catsrules@lemmy.ml 28 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago) (1 children)

Isn't that what side loading is?

My definition of side loading is installing anything outside of an app management system. For example going to a website and downloading the APK and installing it.

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[–] daniskarma@lemmy.dbzer0.com 61 points 3 weeks ago (2 children)

All my homies search for apps first in F-Droid and only use google play if there is no other option.

[–] Entertainmeonly@lemmy.blahaj.zone 9 points 3 weeks ago (3 children)

Can you help a sister out and help me to start using fdroid? Do I just google it? Can I download the fdroid store from Google play store?

[–] G14D0S@lemmy.ml 19 points 3 weeks ago

You can't download it from the Google Play store. You'll have to download the .APK (application package, the installation file format for all Apps) from this url, there should be a tutorial to guide you further:

https://f-droid.org/

[–] noodlejetski@lemm.ee 10 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago) (4 children)

https://f-droid.org/en/

there are other apps than can access F-droid and everyone will soon start replying saying why they think their choice is the only reasonable one and everything else is the worst thing ever, but the official one under that link should be enough to get you started.

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[–] otter@lemmy.ca 54 points 3 weeks ago

All while the other antitrust case is still in progress

How many times do we have to teach you this lesson, Old Man?

[–] todd_bonzalez@lemm.ee 31 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

Look up brothels in sex-work friendly countries in Google Maps, screenshot them, and mass-report Google Maps as a prostitution app.

[–] Comment105@lemm.ee 39 points 3 weeks ago

Google Maps is exempt from moderation in Google Play Store.

[–] Moonrise2473@feddit.it 27 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

I'm really curious about what kind of BS. Like you could search a sexy shop and have directions to go in person?

[–] sartalon@feddit.nl 9 points 3 weeks ago

Ohh, that's disgusting. Tell me which one so I can make sure to avoid it.

[–] CaptObvious@literature.cafe 27 points 3 weeks ago

Seems to be still available on Apple’s store. And if Google intended to bury it, this is definitely Streisand Effect at work. Wish I’d known about this a few years ago when I was hiking more

[–] gencha@lemm.ee 25 points 3 weeks ago (2 children)

Why would you enlist a map app under the Families program in the first place though?

[–] petrescatraian@libranet.de 32 points 3 weeks ago

@gencha No reason at all. It was probably wrongfully flagged by Google's AI based on some stupid wrongful training data. At least that's what I think though, because folks at Pushbullet (remember the app?) seem to be having similar problems about "not mentioning that they upload user data to their servers" even though they clearly mention this when the app is opened for the first time.

blog.pushbullet.com/2022/10/27…

@Mechanize

[–] bane_killgrind@slrpnk.net 13 points 3 weeks ago (3 children)

Probably ensures that children can use it

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[–] phoenixz@lemmy.ca 22 points 3 weeks ago

This totally is accidental and coincidental and has nothing to do with Google being a dick, as per usual.

So sad to see google now being the same shit as Microsoft

[–] NaoPb@eviltoast.org 19 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago) (2 children)

I did not know of this app but you know I'm gonna install it now.

Thanks Google!

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[–] meldrik@lemmy.wtf 15 points 3 weeks ago

Just installed the app.

[–] monobot@lemmy.ml 13 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

Maybe an error?

Error would be if they removed GMaps or Gmail from Play store, this is sabotage.

Play store is 99% some kind of scum, but they found open source app that community likes and is providing service comparable to their app. Yeah, right.

If they don't want us to call it sabotage, they should be extra careful about apps that are providing same service as them.

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[–] GrappleHat@lemmy.ml 9 points 3 weeks ago

That's insane!

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