You've got used to getting more and more versions of your favorite navigation app regularly in more or less regular periods. We are improving, innovating, repairing... We're proceeding freely by hundreds and decimals of the X.XX.X series and we are currently at version 3.37.2. Anyways, for some time we have been pondering if it isn't worth "cracking" a bit more. Let's say, what about Locus 4.0? Such a shift in numbering, however, deserves a few fundamental changes. So we put our heads together and this is our plan for the next months:

News

By the news, of course, we are thinking brand new features that have not been available in Locus yet.

Cloud sync of tracks, points, and maps

Functionality you have been eagerly awaiting for years. It will make it much easier to back up the data Locus Map works with. No more nightmares with lost tracks or maps purchased from commercial publishers. Factory reset of phone or awkward data handling? Are you switching to another phone? Want to conveniently maintain multiple Locus Map instances on multiple devices? All this will finally stop to be a problem. We'll start with the routes and points sync first, the maps come in line.

Integrated offline navigation

Currently, Locus Map can only navigate without an internet connection using the cooperating BRouter app. We would like to integrate BRouter into Locus, which would significantly improve the user experience, eliminating the need to install a third party application. You'd just download the necessary navigation data from Locus Store.

Support of WMTS map

There are more and more digital maps and map layers in this modern format. Additional background maps for your trips and expeditions!

Enhancements

Some existing Locus features deserve a major upgrade for greater user experience and faster response time:

New map manager

Unlike most map applications that display only one or two kinds of map, Locus Map can work with a variety of maps of various technical designs, online, offline, from different providers. You can also upload your own maps or calibrate paper scanned maps. All maps are then available in the map manager. It'll get not only a new design, but also a clearer structure and method of offering maps, similar to Locus Store.

Newly you will also be able to overlay maps with different coordinate systems.

LoPoints - a new generation of dynamic points of interest

Like LoMaps, LoPoints are part of the worldwide OpenStreetMap mapping project database. They are already part of LoMaps and can be sorted, searched and highlighted over any map background using the "Points of Interest (BETA)" feature. However, the system also needs to be redesigned and better integrated with overall search and other Locus features.

Quick app start

Locus Map often works with a lot of data that needs to be loaded and "initialized" at the start of the application. We will move this initialization in the background and you can start using Locus Map almost immediately after tapping on the application icon on your display.

So, there we are! Of course, not everything will be ready at once. All these things are good bites for our small team of developers. But don't worry, you'll see.

One Locus Map

Yes, you're reading well. Just ONE Locus Map. We're ending up with Free versus Pro duality. We are dealing with it more and more, with add-ons for watches and other wearable hardware, and they all require a single "parent" application. Even you, users, are often confused: "I bought a Pro version and yet the app still bugs me with the purchase..." - well, but the Pro version is a completely different application and you're still using the original Free version. These and similar problems will be over.

Locus Map for Free

"And what for?" Right question. Like today, the basic version of the new Locus Map 4.0 will still be available free of charge and with the same functionality as the current Locus Map Free. Unlimited number of maps, custom routes, tracks, points, track recording, route planning, navigation, guidance to geocaches ... Plus continuous development and improvement of the application.

How is it possible? Thanks to the new methods of getting paid features:

Subscribe to Premium Features

Subscriptions have been moving the world of software for a long time. The same is true for modern mobile applications. Viewranger, Endomondo, Backcountry Navigator ... Even with Locus, advanced features such as Private Live Tracking and unlimited online My Live Location real-time tracking are already available with subscription. Also, some maps can be subscribed, such as Freytag-Berdt or French IGN.

Newly you will be able to subscribe to a whole package of features and then you don't have to deal with anything. Data synchronization, live tracking, LoMap downloads and updates, unlimited number of route recording profiles, off-line navigation, premium support... And all this for the price of one Czech beer per month. Of course, you will save significantly when you subscribe for a longer period of time.

What about Locus Map Pro?

Don't worry, Locus Map Pro will stay on Google Play. However, it will be called Locus Map Classic and will be able to do everything Locus Map Pro can do now. We will update and maintain it so that it can deal with the pitfalls of other versions of Android. However, the main development will only apply to the new Locus Map - only in it the innovations and improvements mentioned above will be available.

When does it break out?

We are working at full speed as we (and you) are used to. For the time being, we expect the first release of Locus Map 4.0 in the middle of this year. We are looking forward to it - there are lots of ideas and a lot more will be brought about by the new application concept and its financing.

So what do you think?

Článek Locus Map – let’s talk future se nejdříve objevil na Locus Map - mobile outdoor navigation app.

As you may have known, so far, maps of the well-known French publisher IGN or, more precisely, of their web version Géoportail have been a part of Locus online map portfolio for a few years. You can browse French countryside on topographic and aerial maps. IGN maps can be purchased from Locus Store:

Let's go offline!

Since Locus Map 3.24.2 these maps are available also OFFLINE in two subscription programs - monthly and annual.

Maps are displayed online and you can cache them (store in temporary memory) or download them for full offline use - you can define your own map crop of the available covered area and zooms.

IGN topo maps are detailed and accurate with clearly rendered structure. Maps contain complete tourist content including marked hiking and cycling trails and are available in several zooms down to 1:25.000.

Let's go, the summer hiking season in France just begins!

Článek Hiking season in France starts with IGN offline maps in Locus se nejdříve objevil na Locus Map - mobile outdoor navigation app.

And here it is again. We've got hit by the new-release fever, we can't help it, we must get it out! The new Locus is so stuffed by news that we can't hold it in the drawer any longer. And we are starting right on the main screen:

New left action panel

You can display various things above the map in Locus. Points, tracks, other maps, various temporary files (Items). Who is familiar with Locus knows that you can switch individual categories or layers by buttons in the upper or right panels. Points and tracks buttons are in the upper one after installation, others must be added there over panel settings. Now we are bringing a new panel that makes work with additional layers much easier - one, two taps and your desired content is above the map at once. You can display it by a new tag on the left side of the screen:

This panel named Map content includes several well known switches:

• quick map switch
• vector map (LoMaps) themes switch
• list of active Items, particularly KML or KMZ files displayed above the map

additionally, you can find two new buttons there as well - Map layers and Nearest points. Let's have a closer look at the Layers:

Map layers

Map layers enable quick turning on/off and entering settings of Map overlays, Map shading, Munzees and OpenStreetMap Notes. What's more, there are also two hot novelties:

Own photos from your device on the map...

...fast & easy! Lots of us have been waiting for this for such a long time.  Now you just tell Locus where to read photos in your device memory (mostly DCIM/Camera folder). Tap "Geotagged photo", then the blue "+", select the folder, confirm. The "eye" button displays or hides the photos and that's it. Of course Locus can display only pictures with included coordinates.

Welcome to Panoramio!

Another innovation brings world wide photos from well known mega database Panoramio to Locus Map screen. Places all over the World can inspire you and revive your imagination directly in your palm. Just tap "Panoramio" in the Layers (and be online).

Hmm, but I don't want any panel on the left!

You're a long-time Locus insider and the current settings of Locus is perfectly OK for you? No problem! You can just switch the "Map content" panel off in settings and all is as it used to be: go to Settings >Maps > Panels & Buttons > Left actions panel > uncheck "Map content".

Don't worry, you won't be left without geotagged photos nor Panoramio. You can set the Map layers as individual tags to the left screen edge or add it as a button to the upper or right panels (Settings >Maps >Panels & Buttons > Set functions panels > Add function to panel). Similarly you can set also other items from the Map content panel:

New Maps settings

As you probably understood from the previous text some significant changes occurred also in the maps settings.  The original division into three categories was abandoned, you can find only "Maps" there,

including all settings regarding maps. It's structured further into Map screen, Map content and Maps general subcategories.

The Maps settings are now much more intuitive and make things easier not only for new users.

And now something for athletes

We are proceeding slowly towards the world of sporttesters again. There are obviously many tasks before us, however, today we can offer features athletes have been demanding for quite a long time:

Energy expenditure calculation

The energy expenditure can be approximately calculated from a few parameters like heart rate, age, sex, weight or height together with time and length of the track. Of course the algorithm includes other factors - these we summarized under a general term Activities. Just tell Locus what activity (run, bike, hike, swim and cca 20 others) you do on track,

insert your body proportions in the settings and after the track recording you find out how much calories you burned. The activity can be set either before the recording or later in the track detail window. The energy expenditure is displayed in the track recording statistics or can be displayed in real time in the dashboard.

Average and maximum heart rate and pedalling cadence

These new parameters of your workout can be monitored either in the track record statistics or on the dashboard during the activity. Obviously, they require connecting of external sensors via bluetooth or ANT+ interface.

And now icing on the cake...

...made by the long promised extension of Live tracking Premium!

Until now you could share your real time location only with all other Locus users. This setting served more or less as general live tracking testing, and not only for Locus users, but also for us, developers and providers.  We learned a lot and we are proceeding - Live tracking Premium enables sharing location with particular selected people - friends, family, colleagues... Just create your own "room", similar to a "chat" room, and invite anybody you like via e-mail or any other means of communication you have installed in your device. Unlike in the chat you don't "chat" with anybody - you monitor each other's position with your buddies. As a care taking parent you can monitor your kids getting home from school, you can navigate your friend to a meeting or the other way round, you can be navigated by Locus to the friend's position.

Live tracking can be found in the main menu > more functions. When you launch it for the first time a new profile is created automatically and you're prompted to insert your nickname. That's the name others will identify you by. If you are happy with the public Live tracking, just push the green Start button.

If you haven't logged in My Locus yet (necessary for entering Locus Store, for recommendation of Locus to your friends and of course for the Live tracking start), you are prompted to do so. All the same happens when you choose to select rooms.

There is only the Public room in the selection which is actually the original Live tracking you already know - all connected Locus users see all other connected Locus users. Next, there is the well known blue "+", offering two buttons:

• Add own
• Add by key
  

"Add own" creates your own Live tracking "room" - the feature is available on subscription of Live tracking Premium so you are redirected to Locus Store. You've got 14 days trial for testing the feature for FREE but, honestly, the price is symbolic (50 LoCoins monthly is some 0,6€).

With your subscription ready, there are no more obstacles to create your own Live tracking room:

• tap Add own
• fill in the name and room description
• confirm
• in the Room manager, tap your room menu and choose Share
  
  
• Locus generates a unique key, that can be sent by e-mail, SMS or any other communication app you have in your device to those with whom you want to share your position.The message contains the key and a link that launches Locus if you click it in a mobile device and starts the Live tracking automatically.

We hope you'll like the new Live tracking Premium and finally the feature as a whole makes sense for you. We'll continue working on it so that it'll bring even more fun to you like e.g. monitoring your friends on a PC. There are many single-purpose tracking apps on the market but why to install them if you have Locus Live tracking?

Perhaps we don't have to point out that this is not all yet. Locus again got lots of minor improvements, changes, fixes and their complete list can be found in the Menu > About application. And now there's really nothing more we can do for you but wish you all

Great vacations!

Článek NEW Locus Map 3.18 – heavily loaded for the summer vacation se nejdříve objevil na Locus Map - mobile outdoor navigation app.