It's been over two weeks since the Locus Map 4 launch. It triggered a great wave of interest among our users and also among those who heard about this app for the first time. And almost everything we've been doing during this time is answering thousands of questions. Here's the summary of the most frequent ones:

WEB planner and library

Great stuff but what more to expect?

• User points on map - so far, the points are only synchronized with the cloud but are not displayed in the planner. Quite a lot of you got upset by this and we are sorry - we underestimated this a bit but we're revving all our engines to add it ASAP.
• More tracks on map at once - the same as above, please be patient
• More UI features to come - centering button, road surfaces, way types for the planner
• Track/route import - GPX and other formats
• Track editing
• More maps from other providers - until recently we thought the online LoMap is enough. We re-thought it but first we have to evaluate and select which sources could be viable
• Live Tracking integration
• Continuous improvement of LoMaps, LoPoints and LoRouter - please don't hesitate and send us your ideas - what is missing? What should we focus on? What to improve? What to fix?

What are the best practices for data synchronization?

• take the first device on which you have the oldest Locus data (tracks, routes, points). This device should ideally have all your complete data
• go to the main menu > Go Premium > log in and subscribe to Premium Gold
• open your track/point manager and tap the sync button in the topbar

• confirm manual synchronization, let it go all the way through
• your personal database on the cloud has been created - you can sync other devices or plan/save routes in the web planner

Locus Map Pro

What's its future?

Locus Map Pro will be maintained and updated so that it is still fully available in Google Play Store and is compatible with all future Android versions. When the transition of the most of the current Pro users starts to decline, we'll rename it to Locus Classic.

Why is Locus Map 4 better?

Even the basic free version of Locus Map 4 brings a solid bundle of improvements:

• new user interface – the main screen, better structured feature menu, ergonomic controlling, clearer point detail, track detail etc.
• new native online content – default online LoMaps, LoRouter and LoPoints
• new route planner with integrated map content panel
• OneDrive support for direct import/export and automatic backup
• track recording widget also in the basic version for free

Can I use both versions?

Yes, both versions are autonomous apps with their own configuration. If they are installed in the internal memory they share the main database files - tracks, routes, points and maps. When you uninstall one of them, the data remain in the device.

EDIT 29/12/2021, Android 11+ devices: both apps use their own data - maps, tracks, points, etc. The data can't be shared between them any more. More info here >>

How can I get the discount as the Pro user?

Firstly, make sure you have logged in Locus Store in your Locus Map Pro. Then, when you tap Go Premium in the Locus Map 4 menu and log in the My Locus profile, you are automatically offered the discounted subscriptions.

How long will the discount available?

At this time, there is no deadline, no time limit when the discount offer should end.

Why am I not "Silver" automatically when I have bought Locus Map Pro?

At the beginning, there were two separate applications - Locus Map Free and Locus Map Pro. Locus Map 4 is the successor of Locus Map Free, not of Locus Map Pro. Therefore, there is no relation between your purchase of Locus Map Pro and subscribing to Premium Silver.

However, when you log in and the system recognizes you as the Pro owner (see above), you get the Silver for free for one year.

Will my Locus Map Watch Pro work with Locus Map 4?

No, add-on Locus Map Pro Watch communicates only with Locus Map Pro app. Locus Map 4 as a direct successor of Locus Map Free communicates with Locus Map Free Watch add-on. The add-on is identical to Locus Map Pro Watch. They have only different names. We had to duplicate them because of Samsung's regulations forbidding one add-on serving two apps.

Locus Map 4

Where's the rotation button, zoom buttons, zoom lock, magnifier?

Rotation of the map is controlled by the multifunctional centering button:

Zoom buttons are hidden by default but you can make them visible in Locus settings > controlling > Panels & buttons:

Zoom lock and maginfier are also hidden but you can add them to the function panel:

Dark mode causes the screen blinking and other problems

Unfortunately, this is caused by an agressive behavior of the MIUI system dark mode in Xiaomi devices. Exclude Locus Map from the system dark mode and all will be OK.

Locus Map records tracks wrongly even if it is not battery optimized

In Android 10 and 11, Locus Map needs a special extra permission for access to location when running in the background. This permission prompt emerges right before the action is started - track recording, navigation, guidance etc. Please, give it to it so that tha track recording on the background runs smoothly.

What about my maps? Do I have to download them all again?

No, as we have mentioned above, Locus Map Pro and Locus Map 4 share the same data folders. Only, if you have maps linked to Locus Map Pro from an external storage (SD card), you have to link them the same way in Locus Map 4.

Will my app stay in Premium when I'm offline for a longer time?

Yes, of course. Your subscribed app stays as it is with all subscribed features. When you get online and the app finds out your subs expired, it gives you a grace period long enough to re-subscribe comfortably.

Locus Map 4 manual contains obsolete information

We deeply apologize for this inconvenience. The user's manual will be updated in the near future. If you have any questions, please ask us at our helpdesk.

Článek Here’s all you asked us during the last two weeks se nejdříve objevil na Locus Map - mobile outdoor navigation app.

As you probably know, and as Locus users you are used to, we develop our applications with great regard to your wishes and ideas for improvement. However, some of your ideas could not be realized without fundamental changes in our work. Because of this, we had to strengthen our team with several real experts, overturn the structure and division of competencies in the team, invest in infrastructure ... And also change our business model (see below). However, all this took a little more time than we originally expected.

Implementing such an ambitious plan, while keeping the app running in a normal update mode, was quite a challenge. So thank you for your patience.

The first release

For example, like books are issued in their first edition, also our project Locus Map 4 we now publish in its first version. It is a fully functional product, both its application part and the web service. However, we still have tweaks in the drawer, which we must postpone until the "next editions".

You have been bombarding us with questions for several months, "when will we finally launch it?" So we said a few weeks ago that we would do our best to make it by the end of March. Which we somehow managed. But in the coming weeks and months you can look forward to more portions of larger or smaller improvements that we are preparing for you.

And what do we have for you now? A brand new app , which offers three levels of use:

• basic features for free
• features within the Premium Silver subscription
• features within the Premium Gold subscription

You will no longer need to install another application to upgrade the application, as was the case with Locus Map Pro . So there is no need to reconfigure the new app and deal with many other problems.

Locus Map 4 for free

This direct successor to the original Locus Map Free is available free of charge and can do everything you need for a normal leisure activity outdoors:

• it can show your location on the map, show the direction of your movement
• search places and addresses on the map
• record tracks of your hikes and bike rides
• navigate directly to your destination, along a planned or imported route
• plan trips, rides and running workouts
• plus a lot of other little things, including a recording widget that was originally only in the paid app

New interface

Compared to the previous generation, Locus Map 4 has a completely new ergonomic main screen interface. We arrived at it based on your numerous comments and our internal research and testing. It is dominated by a multifunctional map centering and rotation button:

The main menu button has moved next to it. It is now beautifully within easy reach and pushes the main menu from below. It can contain up to 15 function keys.

Above the main menu, there is a button of the new content bar, which is now much more complex, while retaining its original compactness. With it, you can easily switch the map base and its appearance, display points of interest, active items or a new coordinate grid:

Optionally, a track recording button has been added to the main screen. With it, you can start recording quickly and without annoying search in the menu:

The map zoom buttons have moved above the bottom panel and can be optionally hidden, as well as the record button and all sidebars.

The top bar with function buttons has moved to the bottom of the screen, leaving only the info bar. All controls are thus within easy reach of the thumb and there is no need to control the application with both hands.

For left-handers, we've also added the ability to side-swap the entire main screen, and to save battery, there's the ability to switch the app to dark mode.

Online LoMap, LoPoints and LoRouter

Because we didn't previously have a custom online map to display to users as soon as the app was turned on, we used freely available map services based on OSM data. These were not always according to our ideas, especially in terms of readability and graphic design.

But over the years, we've been editing and tweaking our offline LoMaps. We managed to modify them so that it was possible to deploy them on an online server. Now they are now available to everyone for free right after the first start of the application. This includes LoPoints, dynamic points of interest!

We also used online third-party services for navigation and route planning, whether it was GraphHopper or YOURS. To keep online routing under control and to edit and add more profiles, we've developed our own LoRouter service. In the first edition, LoRouter offers two pedestrian, three bicycle and two car profiles. We will further expand the number of profiles according to user demand.

You can plan the routes also on the web

That you could do also before on other planning sites, as Locus Map supports importing routes in various formats. However, with our own online maps and a router, you can now plan on our own web planner, which you can find on our new website www.locusmap.app. In the first release, the planner allows you to:

• calculate the route according to the selected activity
• add LoPoints to the route in addition to your own points
• view route elevation profile and basic statistics
• share route via URL link
• export the route as a GPX file
• Premium Gold subscribers have the option of saving the route to the cloud and synchronizing it with Locus on their mobile phone

Premium Silver for those who take the outdoor seriously

Silver unlocks a number of features that you will appreciate as a regular active outdoor sportsman. With a one-year subscription, it'll cost you € 10 , and you'll pay € 1.4 for a monthly subscription.

Locus Map Pro owners receive a one-year FREE Premium Silver subscription!

No ads = bigger map

Not only that, the perpetual mis-clicking on the banner ad and the annoying closing of pages that you don't need to see when riding a bike will disappear. Most importantly, you get up to 10% more of the map on the screen!

Package for sportsmen

• Sensor connectivity - Locus Map can communicate with a variety of peripherals via Bluetooth and ANT+, such as external GPS units, heart rate, cadence or speed sensors, pedometers and thermometers
• Audio coach - do you want to get regular reports on your speed, pace, time, and other performance parameters? The Audio coach will serve them directly to your headphones, so you don't even have to take your mobile phone out of your pocket.
• Dashboard - turn Locus into a hi-tech bike comp. Set up a transparent layer above the map with all the data you need - speed, elevation, time to destination, route graphs...

Advanced map and track tools

• Terrain shading, elevation charts, their dynamic coloring according to elevation, slope, and other parameters. All from offline elevation data.

• Calibration of an image with map - with this you can get any city orientation plan, wall map or a JPG with map downloaded from the internet into Locus...

• Map overlays - you can overlay two different maps, such as e.g. aerial and tourist, to see more information. Various types can be combined, both online and offline.

Premium Gold squeezes maximum out of Locus Map

For those who want an application without compromise, there is Gold. It contains a complete range of in-app features, web services and offline LoMaps of the whole world, including updates. A full-year subscription costs € 24, monthly you pay € 3.

Locus Map Pro owners get an exclusive 50% discount for a year of using Premium Gold!

Silver included

Of course, Gold includes a large ad-free map screen, a sportsmen package fo features, and mapping and track tools that use offline elevation data. In addition, there are many more improvements, such as the ability to generate circular routes in the planner or to display surfaces and path types:

All offline LoMaps including updates for free

As a standard, you get 3 offline LoMaps for free. As part of the Gold subscription, all LoMaps including updates, which we prepare three to four times a year, are for free. So you always have an up-to-date map without having to connect to the internet.

Built-in offline LoRouter

Navigating and planning routes without an Internet connection hasn't been easier with Locus. You no longer need to install additional cooperating applications. All you have to do is download the routing data package of the relevant area directly in Locus and set LoRouter as the default offline router.

In the first edition, LoRouter offers three pedestrian, four bicycle, one motorcycle and two car profiles. We're still working on profiles, so more will be available soon.

Synchronize multiple devices

Do you use Locus Map on multiple devices? Would you like to share your routes and points with them? Want to conveniently back up your data? All this is solved by our new synchronization service.

At its heart is cloud storage, where Locus Map automatically sends your routes and points from your mobile or tablet. For example, just record a track on your mobile phone and the next time you connect to the wifi internet, the track will upload itself to the cloud. This data is then synchronized with your other devices using the same account.

Cloud storage is only an additional service - routes and points remain, of course, on your device, where they are always available to you. If you decide to use the cloud, your data is safe with us. We have fully complied with the development of the cloud with the strictest requirements for the processing of personal data.

Your personal web library of tracks and routes

The cloud storage and sync service is also linked to the aforementioned web planner, which includes a library of your routes and tracks. It stores your planned routes and the library syncs with the apps on your mobile and tablet.

You can view routes from your library on a large PC monitor, share their URL link with friends, or export them as GPX. You can also edit their name and description, in the future we plan to add other options, such as editing the route line and the like.

Share your real time location with your friends and family

Premium Gold also includes Live Tracking Premium service, which allows you to create your own groups for real-time private location sharing. Your friends can view your location either in Locus Map or on the Live Tracking website.

Premium Gold also unblocks the My LIVE location timeout, which allows you to share your real location unilaterally (not to each other, as with live tracking).

Detailed comparison

Of course, above we've listed just a quick list of what each version of Locus Map brings to you. If you'd like to study their specific differences, we've put together a detailed list .

And what about Locus Map Pro?

For Locus Map Pro, nothing changes. This most popular application in our portfolio (4.8* Google Play rating in March 2021) continues in line 3, currently in version 3.51.1. It has recently received a large package of modifications and fixes and serves to the full satisfaction of its users. We are preparing another update for it in about a month.

If you own Locus Map Pro and are interested in switching to one of the subscribed Locus Map 4 levels, we have an exclusive offer for you:

• the first year of Premium Silver subscription for FREE
• 50% OFF for the first year of Premium Gold subscription

Sign in with the same account to both Locus Map Pro and Locus Map 4 to verify your discount eligibility.

In the future, we plan to rename the app to Locus Classic, while retaining all of its existing features and functions.

What awaits us in the future?

As we mentioned in the introduction, we are now presenting the first edition of the new generation of the Locus Map project. We have a lot of plans for future releases. Of the short-term ones, we can reveal the following:

• additional web planner features - route graphs with road surfaces, the ability to edit route lines, the ability to add and edit custom points, caches, etc., live tracking integration, route import, and more
• we will continue to improve the application's user interface - a brand new map manager is planned, redesigning the route detail screens...
• based on your feedback, we also plan to introduce one-time payments for the Silver and Gold levels, which will be available in the Locus Store or directly on Locusmap.app website.
• we want to resume work on wearables add-ons, or develop a stand-alone smartwatch app
• in connection with the integration of live tracking into the web planner, we want to further improve the service to make it even more usable, for example, for search teams and rescue services
• etc.

Install Locus Map 4 and there will always be something you can look forward to!

Článek Locus Map 4 is here. Enjoy its first release. se nejdříve objevil na Locus Map - mobile outdoor navigation app.

So here it is, friends. One great era in Locus's life is coming to an end and the other is beginning. We have released Locus Map 3.50, the last in a series of 3.x. The next released version will be the first representative of the fourth generation. Before that happens, let us take a little excursion into history.

Let's look back to the past first ...

Locus Map (originally only Locus) at the beginning of its existence began as a simple app for geocachers. It enabled the display of downloaded caches above the map and simple track recording. Navigation and the possibility of simple route planning were added and the app soon became very popular. Nevertheless, its development and support took more and more time from its author, until it became a full time job. Let's briefly discuss the following developments in key milestones:

• March 2011 - a paid version - Locus Map Pro - was created
• July 2011 - Locus began using its own vector maps generated from OSM maps - the forerunner of today's LoMaps:
  

  

• May 2012 - the first User Manual
• July 2012 - the first version of the Locus Store launched (called Locus Shop then)
• January 2013 - the ability to connect the app to external sensors using ANT + and Bluetooth added
• June 2014 - the first app of the 3.x series . A new Locus Store is created with its own virtual "currency" - LoCoins :
  

  

• December 2014 - Android PIT app store is ending. Locus Map Pro is only available on the Android market (now Google Play). The first offline points of interest (today's LoPoints) and track recording widget are launched:
  

  

• January 2015 - new UI respecting Material design by Google
• March 2015 - we started cooperating with major map publishers, the first being the French IGN , followed by SwissTopo and the German Outdooractive
• August 2015 - the first addon for wearables - SmartWatch 2
• September 2015 - link to a large database of user routes - GPSies.com
• March 2016 - Locus Live tracking - real-time continuous location sharing
• January 2017 - progressive coordinate system What3words implemented
• October 2017 - a brand new route planner taking full advantage of external routers and routing profiles, the first option to back up data to the cloud (Dropbox, Google Drive)
• January 2018 - add-on for Android Wear and Wear OS smart watches
• January 2019 - add-on for smart watches running Tizen - Samsung Gear and Galaxy Watch
• May 2019 - an add-on for the Garmin watches is launched in partnership with Wearsoft:
  

  

• February 2020 - a new interactive WMS map library
• May 2020 - database of 7000 routes by Rother added to Locus Store

What now?

Locus Map Pro is now one of the most enhanced applications in its segment and is used not only by outdoor enthusiasts but also by a number of professionals from S&R organizations - Mountain Service, search units, and rescuers. Locus Map Pro in version 3.50 completes this ten-year era. The next version will be called Locus Classic and we will maintain and update it according to the needs of the new versions of Android. However, the main direction of development will lead elsewhere - in the fourth generation of the Locus Map application and the subscribed package of Premium functions.

Version 3.50 of Locus Map Free and Locus Map Pro will be permanently available HERE both in Google Play and Amazon Appstore clones.

... and now boldly into the future!

Two years ago , we indicated the direction which we intend to pursue - there is no more significant improvement in the mobile application, it's time to spread your wings into the endless space of the Internet. It's high time to start synchronizing user data over our own cloud, to offer the convenience of route planning on a large PC screen. After disconnecting the GPSies service due to its acquisition by Alltrails, we also need to build our own route database. At the time, we had no idea that it would take us a full two years to implement our plans. But now we are beginning to see the light at the end of the tunnel. Locus Map 4 is coming!

Článek Locus Map 3.50 is the last in the 3.x series. The fourth generation will start a new era. se nejdříve objevil na Locus Map - mobile outdoor navigation app.

If you think nothing is going on around Locus, the opposite is true. We've almost tripled the capacity of our team in the last two years, and we now hardly pack into our small office during a complete team meeting. Fortunately, we mostly work in the home office, so we don't get in each other's way (and we don't share various now popular infections).

Work on our projects is currently continuing "double-track". On the one hand, development and maintenance of the classic Locus Map Free and Locus Map Pro branch continues. On the other hand, and here lies the focus of our efforts over the last two years, we are working feverishly on the development of a new generation - Locus Map 4 . Which is no longer "just" an application, but also an extensive environment of accompanying services.

What's new in version 3.49

So let's start with the classics . After all, when the new generation of the app is launched, we'll name this series this way. So what's new?

Route Planner

We've simplified the setup of the route generation service BRouter . We've removed the option to select navigation profiles defined directly by this service. On the one hand, this will make the profile selection much clearer, and on the other hand, we are forced to do so by the restrictions of the new Android 11 - Locus Map will no longer be able to access other app directories , including BRouter. However, geeks don't despair, you will simply place your custom profiles in a folder directly in the Locus directory structure and select them in the router configuration - they will be separated by an extra header.

Presets

For those of you who have no idea about this, these are batch changes to your entire app settings . If you want to make the most of Locus, you can't do without them. The versatility of Locus lies in the huge number of functions and settings of the application. However, if you use Locus for various different activities, you always need to reset it. Presets make this process incredibly easy - you can then reset the whole app with two clicks - 1. open the presets, 2. click on the preset. You can change the settings of the function panels, the map theme, the recording profile, the map rotation, and a lot of other parameters at once.

Initially, presets worked in two modes - basic and advanced . However, we've found that basic mode is unnecessary, so now presets work directly in advanced mode . In it, you can choose which specific settings you want to have in the preset.

In addition to these two major changes, of course, the version contains a number of minor adjustments and fixes, as you're accustomed to.

What's up with Locus Map 4?

A lot is happening. A lot is almost done and ready for demanding testing, but still, there's a lot of hard work ahead.

The App

• We're fine-tuning the new ergonomic UI , which includes the expected dark mode. It will also be possible to turn the controls the other way around so both right-handers and left-handers can use it comfortably.
• The route planner has got a lot of new features - graphical representation of surfaces and route types, built-in offline router, the ability to generate a round trip and several alternative routes at once

Cloud Sync

The synchronization of data from the application with our own cloud storage is also in the phase of internal testing. No more worries about losing data when resetting your phone, switching to a new phone, or using Locus on multiple devices at once will be a breeze.

Online LoMaps and LoPoints

We also converted the original purely offline content online so that we could have it available for the new web route planner, and also to solve one of our big pains - points of interest search. After disconnecting from Google, we significantly missed it...

Web Route Planner

We have brought the planner in the application almost to perfection. Now it's its web clone's turn - after all, in the warmth of home with a large monitor, the route is planned more comfortably. Here, however, we still have a lot of work to do - we don't want to offer you any semi-finished product, but a well-tuned piece of software.

There is a lot behind us, but also a lot ahead of us. So we don't want to promise anything, but we firmly hope that we will enjoy next season with the new Locus Map 4.

Then keep your fingers crossed for us!

Článek Locus Map 3.49 released, fourth generation still in development se nejdříve objevil na Locus Map - mobile outdoor navigation app.