Let’s get started, you may ask for what and where exactly? That’s a common question, and you may have guessed it already? In the context of this article, we will now begin our privacy focused navigation with offline maps using Co-Maps, yeah ever heard about offline maps? In simple offline maps basically let you navigate Maps without internet, so undoubtebly offline maps are very useful technology for all travellers, but this question may arise, how is that even possible? Let me explain Its because offline maps doesn’t need to live fetch or track Maps instead they are pre-downloaded and has pre-fetched data of Maps thus they’ll work offline and provide similar functionality and experience of online maps.
Whereas in online maps, you need internet to fetch and track Maps data constantly to navigate properly, if you don’t have internet, then online maps may seem like trouble but online maps require internet mainly to get latest updated data to ensure accurate and safe navigation for you, basically when you have internet, online maps will fetch better and updated short and long latest routes including that in collaboration with latest technologies, from past few years online maps also providing current situation of routes like traffic, pollution, blockage and many more to protect and save time etc, so if you’re someone who care more about precise information over privacy then better use online maps, at the end offline and online maps has their own pros and cons, yet both are great, its just user choice.
Online or offline maps, they both use geo-positional system – GPS, to know your current location and as per that navigate locations effectively, but wait a second if you never ever heard about offline or online maps, don’t get confused offline or online maps with traditional maps which are also maps but physical ones with visual data on materials like papers, leafs etc, you can navigate locations with traditional maps as well but they lack modern options and features available on online and offline maps to navigate efficiently, that’s why majority of people around the world, now utilize digital online and offline maps, which map type do you prefer and why?
In this modern era of digital technologies, online and offline maps, are way to go anytime to navigate globally, all you have to do is enter location and there we go in few clicks you’ll get every possible details to navigate locations efficiently, but have you ever wondered how this feat is even possible? In simple it’s because of satellite and yeah in co-ordination and integration of many more technologies, online and offline maps receive location data from earth orbiting powerful and advanced navigation satellite specifically and exclusively created and designed for navigation purposes, isn’t that amazing?
We have many navigation satellites, as several countries have their own navigation satellites like GPS from USA, NavIC from India etc, there are alot of technologies, which rely on satellite navigation technologies, out of them digital maps are one, though there are many digital map providers for public usage but out of them Google Maps is popular choice, ever since its emergence, Google Maps is top of charts, as its undoubtedly awesome, and it also let you download maps and make them work offline, but Google Maps is propretiery, so not all folks wish to use and even want alternative to it, are you one of them?
In case, you don’t care whether technology is propretiery or not, then don’t miss out Google Maps, it’s best and one stop choice, but if you care and strictly require non-propretiery Maps technology then though in limited capacity, there we have some reliable non-propretiery free and open source map technologies, out of them we recently got to know about Co-Maps and picked it right away, its FOSS aka free and open source non-propretiery offline maps app, currently made and crafted for Android, iOS, MacOS, Linux etc.
Co-Maps, is a feature rich ad-free offline maps app with support for Android Auto and CarPlay, it promote itself as community built, driven, funded and governed fork of Organic Maps, originally based on Maps.ME, and it states to respect privacy with no data collection, trackers etc whatsoever, as Co-Maps is FOSS, its source code is public, we can check and verify its code is valid and authentic or not, only after ensuring its safe and claims are genuine, we can start using Co-Maps to navigate locations around the world with privacy and security to be in safe zone.
The main speciality of Co-Maps, is it gets Map data from non-propretiery OSM aka Open Street Maps, in simple OSM is basically a map of the world created and edited by people like you, and it’s free to use under open license, if you want to know more about OSM, you can research about it yourself, anyhow Co-Maps is simple, lightweight, community led and community first offline maps app built by community for community, to easily navigate Maps with focus on privacy for users, ok shall we now explore visual user interface of Co-Maps? Are you ready? If yes let’s get started.
• How to download Co-Maps with official support •
– CodeBerg
– GitHub
– Website
• Co-Maps key features with UI / UX Overview •
Atlast, this are just highlighted features of Co-Maps, there may be many hidden features in-build that provides you external benefits to give the ultimate usage experience, anyway if you want one of the best FOSS, cross platform supported privacy focused non propretiery Maps app then seems like Co-Maps is on go worthy choice.
Overall, Co-Maps has simple clean and easy to use intuitive interface that ensures user friendly experience, but in any project there is always space for improvement, so let’s wait and see will Co-Maps get any major UI changes to provide ultimate usage experience in future and make it even more better as of now, it’s awesome.
Moreover, it is definitely worth to mention Co-Maps is one of the very few FOSS, non-propretiery offline first Maps app available out there on world wide web of internet, that was audited by Exodus, yes indeed if you’re searching for such offline maps app then Co-Maps definitely has potential to become your new favourite choice.
Finally, This is Co-Maps, a FOSS, offline maps app, I’m not sure about it’s battery usage, but as per developers of Co-Maps, it doesn’t drain battery unlike other navigation apps, so do you like it? Are you an existing user of Co-Maps? If yes do say your experience and mention why you like Co-Maps over other Maps navigation apps in our comment section below, see ya 🙂