- cross-posted to:
- android@lemmy.world
- cross-posted to:
- android@lemmy.world
Apk Link: https://cdn.organicmaps.app/apk/OrganicMaps-24081605-GooglePlay.apk
Note: If you don’t want to deal with stuff like this, I recommend you download and use it from F-Droid client or Accrescent AppStore.
Update: The app returned to the App Store.
When listing an app on the app store, there is a footgun to watch out for. One of the questions it asks is “Is this app made for children” or “is this app intended for children” or something like that. If you say “yes” to this then that triggers extra stringent evaluation criteria. Many people will accidentally choose yes for their app because it’s a general purpose app which anyone can use (no porn, violence, etc) but that is a mistake. The intent of that question is to find apps that are ONLY for children to use and to evaluate them differently in order to keep children safe.
Yeah, I was looking into this recently, and even games like Roblox are labelled Teen (even though I think it’s obvious they target younger children).
Roblox would never pass a child review. There’s literal gambling on that shit.
Maybe it was a mix up? I just checked their website and clicked on the link they had for playstore and then downloaded it from there.
I just checked again and I can confirm the same.
I will edit the post to reflect this.
If this story blows up, organic maps is going to get so many more downloads and hopefully contributions.
I have been eyeing this crowd sourced map thing for a week or two. When I read this headline today I learned there was a centralized app for it. I immediately downloaded it.
It’s called OpenStreetMap and there are many apps for it! Organic Maps is a good one and I like it for when I go abroad and want to preload an entire country instead of downloading maps on my paltry 33 or whatever gigs of roaming allowance (that also only works in the EU - if I want to visit the US, I get to pay out the ass for 250 MB or 1 GB at a time)
It’s Google.
I’m certain that “Common violations” = “competes with our own products”.
Does Google do that? Apple absolutely does it, but has Google ever done that?
Apple used to straight up steal the idea of existing apps. Lately it seems they favor buyout, like with dark cloud becoming weather, but it used to be that Apple would randomly swoop in and crush developers by creating a first party version of their app.
Ah, Sherlocking
Though at least sometimes an idea seems somewhat obvious
It’s highly unlikely that this app even comes up on the radar insofar as competing with Google Maps.
The answer is probably more mundane - an automated system made an incorrect call. It keeps happening when it comes to these Play Store app reviews.
Indeed. “Never attribute to malice that which is adequately explained by stupidity”—or, in this case, an unaudited automated process. Now, I’m sure the fact that it competes with one of their products meant that they were in no particular hurry to address the issue, but I’m sure the original failure was process related, not anti-competitive practices.
Or maybe an automated system flagged it and an underpaid and overworked employee in a third world country reviewed it.
Or some troll decided it would be funny to report it.
Most likely scenario in my opinion too.
Probably the map has 18+ places and no decent way to stop children from seeing them?
That would mean EVERY map app would be in violation since those places exist and are indexed by all of them. Including Google Maps.
Aren’t they hidden by default in Google Maps?
No… Google maps even has a quick search for bars built in.
Are those apps available through the Families program as safe for kids?
“I love looking at the 3D building of this place. I am about to ejaculate in my pants”
Some buildings may be too sexy!
The app showed me a skyscraper and now I feel inadequate.
All buildings are beautiful!
I don’t know if Google has some API to indicate when the app runs from a child/family link managed account?
If so, then I suppose the Organic Maps dev could block some building categories from showing up (ex: Bars, Stripclub)?
Also a thread here.
Haven’t heard of Organic Maps before but I just installed from the apple app store for solidarity 🫡
This is the way.
Mmhmm 😁
So, what about OSMand. Or Magic Earth. Or any other map app?
They’re not “good enough” - they dont provide the same comfy UI/UX that google maps and organic maps does. And organic maps is offline, so literally no data harvesting.
Osmand is the best but it’s complicated and has too many features for a casual maps user. It’s UI is not that bad as others suggest. I have both installed cause organic maps doesn’t support saving routes/tracks.
I think OpenTracks could be a good lightweight alternative for simply saving tracks.
I have been happily using OsmAnd while traveling outside my coverage area. Anybody have pros or cons of each of these? I just downloaded this one and didn’t really like that it automatically began downloading 250 megabytes of my localish region. In some places that would eat up my entire data package. I would rather it asked.
You can download maps for offline use just like in OsmAnd. I used OsmAnd before but the UI has become sooo sluggish I switched over to OM
EEE
Probably because of NSFW geographic locations, like https://omaps.app/U4yUt5ZjzL/Püssi
Organic Maps should be 18+.
Really? I heard that’s the most kid friendly place on earth.
That place exists in Google Maps too.
It exists in real life too
Google Maps are such hippocrates! 😆
actually normal business for Google Play and smaller apps
Thank you, Google. Now I’m using it and contributing to OpenStreetMap :D
Thanks again google. I had never heard of this app until you banned it. Now I’m running it on my phone. Top notch advertising for your competition.
Same, downloaded it and gee it’s so much better
wtf, I just downloaded it 3 days ago
There goes another useful tool that has been made inaccessible for most of the common users.