You may have heard of the term shit, which can also be described as platform decay. In other words, what is happening on platforms like Twitter (due to Elon Musk's measures) or Google Maps (which already offer less optimal routes in order to sponsor some stops).
This last case is causing several users to start paying attention to alternative map applications, completely open and that prioritize user experience over any profit. This is the case of Organic Maps, which I have given a chance. There are advantages even over Apple Maps.
When you respect the user, you also respect the battery
Organic Maps advocates a user experience based entirely on community collaboration. It uses OpenStreetMap maps as a base, which is open source and guarantees absolute privacy. The application itself, which you can get for free from the App Store, guarantees that no data about our use is recorded. Not even anonymous, something that not even Apple Maps can offer.
This philosophy even affects the autonomy of the iPhone: if nothing needs to be recorded, we can do without all the background processes that do so. And here is another point very much in favor of Organic Maps: the maps are downloaded to the device locally as we consult areas. That means we will not have to consume internet data when we repeatedly consult maps of the same area. Which even saves us more battery and allows us to stop depending on coverage when we travel.
This is noticeable when you use Organic Maps in several queries over a period of time. Yes, the first time we will have to wait a few seconds for the download of the maps to complete (it is a few dozen MB, nothing exaggerated), but from then on Map loading is practically instantaneous even with airplane mode activated.
Paradise for hikers and cyclists
Apart from the loading speed, there are things that have pleasantly surprised me when trying Organic Maps. Your interface shows how I had never seen the minor roads and paths. Even in towns with less than 400 inhabitants where I usually spend days off, I see marked hiking trails that I have ventured along.
The cherry on top of this is an option that overlaps the relief lines from the map to those trails, so you have a high-quality map in case you want to get lost in the mountains and where there is no coverage. No other map option on the iPhone has shown me so much specific data, not at least with this ease and without depending on specific applications.
Another thing that I liked is that Organic Maps is able to show you urban cycling routes, for those of us who do not use the car. Those streets that have bike lanes are prioritized, and on the map you can see points where you can drink drinking water (such as urban fountains). Data that is typically much more difficult to view in other mapping applications.
The pending tasks of Organic Maps: more information
For the reasons mentioned above, Organic Maps has earned a place on my iPhone. Now, that does not mean that from now on you will use that application exclusively. For that I would need to see several improvements, which I assume will flourish over time:
- Public transport information is too basic, offering only routes on urban railways. There are no schedules, nor information on bus stops in cities like Barcelona.
- The silhouette of buildings is not something I consider basic on a map, but it helps a lot. And in Organic Maps / OpenStreetMaps it still doesn't look everywhere.
- The interface for establishing a route between two points is somewhat confusing, with no buttons to confirm it.
Even so, I am going to take into account Organic Maps to make common queries on maps, since its speed and independence from data coverage can help reduce battery consumption. And let's say it all: the less data big technology knows about you, the better.
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