Although summer is primarily a time for holidays, which we of course also indulged in, we have not slacked off in developing and further pushing the app for the better:

• We have unified the online and offline search for points of interest
• We have made working with geotagged media faster and easier
• We implemented the possibility of a general backup of all data

And of course, the traditional package of dozens of minor fixes and improvements is included.

Search without switching

In the last version of the application, the online and offline databases of LoPoints, i.e., points of interest on the map, were merged for the first time. So far, only in the map content panel, with the possibility to highlight selected point categories above the map. Now this unification is also reflected in the search.

It is no longer necessary to switch between online and offline modes in the search menu, as was the case in the past. You just select one item - Places and addresses.

The application automatically searches from the available data, whether you are connected or not. Online mode is primary, and if no connection is available, it searches the downloaded data. You also no longer have to choose between downloaded LoMaps; the application searches across all of them, and the user interface is uniform for all. However, the latest LoMaps (June 2025) must be downloaded for the offline search to work properly.

Postal addresses, cities, and states are still searched online only in this function. For offline address searches, you need to switch the search to "offline addresses" mode. Linking online and offline, similarly to points of interest, is not yet technically possible due to the use of two independent sources.

Photos over the map faster and better

We have improved the system for finding and displaying your photos above the map. Your memories of holidays or trips will now appear much faster above the map. The app can display photos not only from the default system camera folder, but also from social networking folders such as Facebook or Instagram. Of course, the choice of folders is up to you.

And since we all have thousands of photos on our phones, we've made an effective time filter for you. By a simple selection, you can view photos from today, yesterday, this month, or last month. For a more precise definition, you can set an interval from - to or even select a period from the calendar. Showing only photos from a specific holiday above the map is now a breeze.

The application for working with geotagged media needs your permission to access it. The data is then only loaded locally for display purposes and not sent anywhere.

Easier application data transfer

Moving your app to another device is sometimes a necessity. Mostly this is due to buying a new mobile. Most of you don't have to deal with anything complicated - you install Locus Map from Google Play on your new phone, re-download your maps from the Locus Store, and if you use the Premium Gold package, you download your routes and waypoints from the cloud.

However, more advanced users often need to transfer their own app settings, attachments, custom maps, and other data as well. Users switching from the old Locus Map Classic to Locus Map 4 don't have the option to sync data to the cloud.

That's why we've developed a solution using a general backup of all the data you use in Locus Map - the application migration backup can pack your entire database of routes and waypoints, including attachments, downloaded maps, and all configuration files and settings, into one large file in one click:

This is then moved to the new mobile and restored in the Locus backup manager. However, this has its pitfalls, especially for "power users," where the file size can reach tens of gigabytes. Migration backups should therefore really only be used if absolutely necessary. The feature will soon be implemented in the new version of Locus Map Classic, too.

Saying goodbye to Google Drive

Unfortunately, we also have some unpleasant news for you. As of September 1, 2025, we have been forced to disconnect Locus Map and all of our other apps from Google Drive because we have been denied full access to the service. The alternate solution using Google File Picker or Android Picker is not sufficient for our usage - it doesn't allow for backups, bulk import or export, or the automation you're used to. New users and all those who were not signed in to Google Drive via Locus Map will no longer see this service offered.

Importing individual files from Google Drive will only be possible through the system file manager (if you have Google Drive installed on your phone), and you will be able to share the exported files on Google Drive.

Connectivity with Dropbox and OneDrive remains unchanged.

Summer is slowly coming to an end, but we hope you'll check out the new Locus Map in the field. Let us know how you like it!

Článek Locus Map 4.31 – unified search, photos above the map, and general backup se nejdříve objevil na Locus Map - mobile outdoor navigation app.

Quite soon after the previous version 4.16, which brought mainly corrections and minor improvements, we are releasing the next version. It is characterized by three main pillars of innovations that required longer-term development - a brand new online search, the next generation of LoMap and a redesign of the colors in the application. 

He who seeks will find

In the new Locus, this adage applies several times over - you can quickly search for interesting places, tourist attractions, addresses or entire categories of points of interest. Yeah, you're thinking, but there's already an online search in Locus, so what's changed?

While the original search looked something like the cover image, everything has changed, both inside and out. The new core is our own intelligent search engine, which draws from several databases including our LoPoints. It supports both the Locus Map 4 app and, partially, the web-based route planner. When searching, it takes into account the map being viewed and the importance of the place being searched, offering several levels of search:

Whisperer

Clicking the search button will bring up a predefined list of categories of places that may be most useful to the typical outdoor fan.  

So if you're not looking for a particular place, you can choose from the list. If you're looking for a category that's not in the initial list, type it into the search box, and the Locus whisperer will offer it to you in a flash. Tap on a category and all the places in it will be highlighted on the map. As you scroll the map, the next points in the category will load:

In the bottom panel, the locations are sorted in a list that you can slide out to the full page and browse locations by name. The first item at the top is highlighted on the map:

If you're looking for a specific place or address, start typing your query in the search box. As soon as you enter the first letters of your query, Locus already suggests relevant categories and places you searched for earlier. It tries to guess what you are looking for and continuously offers other options containing the given character string:

The choices are offered until you click on something or until you complete your search query.

Text search

If you don't make a selection in the autocomplete and click on the magnifying glass below, Locus starts searching according to the specified string, even in areas that the search engine hasn't offered before.

The results are displayed in order of importance and sorted in a list below the map. The panel can be enlarged to full screen and browsed again. You can specify the search area by clicking on "Search this area":

If you move the map elsewhere or zoom out, you can again change the search area by clicking on the button (the results are not automatically loaded on the map in this case).

So you finally found it...

When you tap on the specific place you found on the map or in the list, the object is centered on the map, and its detailed information is displayed in the panel below the map.

Use the left arrow on the panel to return to the search, or slide the panel down to end the search.

History

Your previously searched queries are offered to you in the whisperer in preference to point categories:

If you no longer use the search items, you can simply delete them from the history.

What about other search methods?

Offline searches for addresses, points of interest, location and other options remain as they are now in the menu you open with the button in the top bar. They will be gradually updated and integrated with the new user interface later on.

Offline LoMaps in the new generation

Our offline maps have also undergone major improvements, resulting from a new implementation of their rendering in the application. We won't bore you here with technical details that even the writer of this article doesn't understand, but let's summarize all the positives that this change brings:

In the Czech and Slovak Republics, we use a unique color marking of hiking trails. The new LoMaps can finally draw them correctly in parallel lines, and they can also handle multiple color combinations:

The unique symbols that mark some trails have also been improved and there are more of them on the map. Trail names can also be plotted:

Some trails, especially in high mountain areas, have parameters to show their difficulty (sac_scale). LoMaps show them in three grades - solid line for the easiest, dashed line for the medium and small dashed line for the hardest:

The winter theme brings better legibility of cross-country skiing trails, skitour and sled trails have been added, as well as names of ski slopes.

The new version of LoMap also fixes a long-standing bug with the names of towns and villages. Finally, their sizes and display are correctly prioritized and longer names are correctly wrapped. Last but not least, the new LoMaps are much richer in LoPoints, of which we have added several categories.

You can recognize the new LoMaps in the Map Manager at a glance by the "V4" label on the icon:

Warning:

Unfortunately, automatic loading does not work between the original V3 and the new V4 LoMaps, so if you get from one version of LoMap to another, you need to activate it manually. Of course, the autoload works between maps of the same generation, so once you update all your LoMaps, everything is fine again.

New colors!

Probably the most obvious change you'll notice right after the app launches. You'll be greeted by the light sky blue we've applied to the header of all screens. On the other hand, we said goodbye to red, which was highlighting some buttons too much, and instead, we colored the buttons a rich blue for better visibility. So, even though we're taking inspiration from Google's latest recommended Material Design standards for this makeover, it's also partly a return to the original color scheme for us.

The season is here, so enjoy it to the fullest with the new Locus! And may you find what you're looking for... ;)

Článek Locus Map 4.17 is packed with new features – new search, new LoMap generation and coloring! se nejdříve objevil na Locus Map - mobile outdoor navigation app.