Sometime around this time, in 2021, we slowly began to release the first version of the new generation of your favorite outdoor navigation - Locus Map 4. After a year, we would like to offer you a small summary of what we have accomplished during that time. A lot has been done, mainly thanks to you and your support, both moral and financial.

Brand new app

Let's start with what is most visible:

New user interface

• We clarified it, simplified it and adjusted it for one-handed operation. And both for right-handers and left-handers
• We added options for custom configuration of elements on the display - zoom buttons, map rotation and centering buttons, track recording, function panels - all of them can be combined for several variants of their visibility on the desktop
• The new content panel allows you to easily control everything you see on the map screen - maps and map themes, LoPoints, shading, photos…
• Routes and points got new slide-out panels with information and controls - all in one place, within easy reach of your thumb
• The new bottom-up main menu contains all the basic functions. Of course, it is fully configurable
• Last but not least, Locus can be switched to energy-saving dark mode, even automatically depending on the time of day

We've also added our own content and got rid of dependencies on external applications:

Our own maps, points of interest and router

• LoMaps - our tourist maps of the world are now available in a free online version for all users, not only in the application, but also on our new web route planner
• LoPoints - these dynamic points on the map, describing civic amenities or natural attractions are now available online and offline. In the online version, we managed to enrich LoPoints with information and photos from Wikipedia, and we improved their search on the web.
• LoRouter - our own route calculation machine for planning and navigating to a destination. It is available online in the application and on the web, as well as in the offline version for the most demanding outdoor fans.

Synchronize the application with the cloud, the web planner and across multiple devices

Locus Map has always been a purely mobile application with no server background. There was a radical change a year ago - you can now sync routes and points automatically:

• From mobile to cloud and back - you no longer have to worry about data if your mobile is lost or damaged
• From the cloud to the web library and route planner - what you plan on the web is right on your mobile and vice versa
• Among several devices - do you have a mobile phone and a tablet with Locus? You record the route on your mobile phone, save it and you have it on your tablet right after. The number of devices connected in this way is not limited.

Over the year you've synchronized over 1 million tracks and routes.

Brand new web planner and route library

We used to think that planning a route right on your mobile phone was enough. And we did our best for that and developed the route planner in Locus to the best of its kind on the market. But the big PC screen just makes sense for planning trips and entire vacations. And so we developed a web-based planner with an associated library of users’ tracks and points.

• You plan the route on the web then you go on a trip with Locus on your mobile phone
• You can record the expedition in the mountains with the help of Locus, at home on the couch you can see the route on the big screen of your laptop

We are constantly working on the web planner and library. A lot of improvements await you this year.

It wouldn't be possible without you

Web services, synchronization, cloud, servers, storage, user support, continuous development - it all costs a lot of money. But thanks to you, we manage to get it all running. We are sure that the new subscription financing system really works to your and our satisfaction.

If you continue to support us in this way, we plan a lot of other great things:

What awaits you

• further development of the application - improved search, new dashboard, satellite maps of the whole world (finally!!)
• web planner and library - import of routes, other maps from other providers, more detailed graphs
• more app purchase options - we'll introduce also one-time period purchases with no auto-renewal

Thank you once again for supporting us!

Článek Thanks to you, we have completed the first successful year of the Locus Map 4 project se nejdříve objevil na Locus Map - mobile outdoor navigation app.

We have the summer season in full swing, and despite the fact that some of our team are enjoying a well-deserved holiday (we greet Radim to the Baltics :), the rest are working tirelessly to constantly improve your favorite navigation app.

Hooray for Switzerland!

The latest update brings one quite fundamental news. The publisher of the Swisstopo maps, traditional quality maps of Switzerland, recently decided to provide its maps and aerial photographs free of charge. Not only on their own platforms, but also through third-party applications.

Not so long ago, the French IGN decided to take a similar step. And so we are very happy that we can offer our users some more available map materials in unprecedented quality. We now have Swisstopo available online - topographic, aerial maps and maps for paragliders - and we have uploaded the latest Swisstopo offline packages to the Locus Store. In addition, winter maps with ski trails will be added later for the winter season.

WMTS - even more maps than you expected

Many of you could not wait to get full access to WMT services. WMTS provides access to a myriad of maps of all kinds and purposes around the world. So it's finally here!

In order to be able to quickly navigate among so many resources, we have also modified our library. It is now possible not only to search it in full text, but also to filter maps by categories. So we've added tagging for better map sorting. The possibility of user rating will also contribute to a better orientation between resources according to quality.

Use Locus always with unlocked screen

The possibility of deactivating the system screen lock for returning to Locus without the need to unlock has been in the app for many years. Nevertheless, new system solutions and increasingly "unbreakable" locks of some phones forced us to rework the original solution over time. The result is a simple system that (perhaps) handles all blockages. It allows you to work with navigation comfortably while maintaining all current safety standards.

Navigation panels to your liking

Panels with navigation commands, with the name of the street you are riding along and with statistics have been fixed so far without any possibility of editing. Starting with version 4.3, you can reduce the size or remove the box with the intersection shape indicator, and the statistics and street name panels can be hidden, according to your needs.

The original navigation options panel, located in the center of the screen, unnecessarily obscured the route map, so we moved it to the bottom edge:

Transparent system bars - more map on the screen

Owners of devices with Android 9+ can get now a much wider view of the map. Beginning with this version the operating system allows you to display content below the system bars, so you again get a little more space for the map. And what's more, it looks great:

You won't lose your data anymore

System cleaners in some phones (we don't want to point the finger at Xiaomi) are a threat to many applications, including Locus Map. They often delete user data quite arbitrarily, in our case especially routes and points (caches). Therefore, we strongly recommend setting up automatic backup to external storage (SD card or even better to the cloud).

However, Premium Gold subscribers have an extra advantage - we have modified our synchronization service to make it even easier to recover data that you did not lose through your own fault. Just start the synchronization after starting and detecting the loss of data - and everything will return to its place from the backup on our server.

Android 11 is coming … and with it the change of Locus storage again

At the beginning of the ages, Android gave us complete freedom in deciding where to store our routes, points or maps. It went to the internal memory, it went unlimited to the SD card, nothing was a problem. Then, Android 4.4.2 arrived. And with it a ban on writing to the SD card. Locus Map was suddenly almost impossible to use. Somehow we struggled with that, Android 5 brought a partial release of conditions, and vector maps, elevation data and backups could be stored on the SD card.

Now, however, another limitation is coming - from October 2021, it will not be possible to use the main branch of the internal memory for the Locus working directory in Android 11. This will be allowed only in the private folder Android/data/menion.android.locus/files, which is located either in the internal memory or on the SD card.

In this new version, it is now possible to test transferring the main directory to a new folder, including all the data contained in it. You can find the switch in Locus settings > Miscellaneous.

So, update quickly and get outdoors to test everything!

Článek Free Swisstopo maps and other news in the current Locus Map 4.3 se nejdříve objevil na Locus Map - mobile outdoor navigation app.

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.