[Closed] OS Maps app on Android. Is it any good?

You can now save/cache maps on Android. The app seems to work fine but I also have a Garmin Oregon so that gets used in preference. I really like the web app though - easily worth the £20 pa.

The app isn't great but they are constantly working on it. When you buy a paper map now it comes with a code to download the app version for free.

£7.99 or something for Back Country Navigator (take the free trial to try it out). For that price you get the whole of the UK down to 1:25k OS. Basically you copy and save map areas to use offline, you can erase them after or keep them depending on how much memory you have spare. I have my local area and all the northern NP's permanently stored. It does everything, even has a course creator.

Don't know about OSMaps, but briefly looked into both it and Viewranger, and they both appeared to get a bit expensive buying all the OS tiles.

I wouldn't bother either. Os apps are one big car crash of unjoined up thinking and selling you info twice.

Can't comment about Android, but the iOS OS Maps App is very good, only pay £20 a year for access to all their maps.

It seems ok to me. Bit slow and clunky. Don't like the fact that it doesn't synchronise routes with my online library.

I use the OS maps app on both Android and iOS because Memory Map seems to want me to pay them a fortune to update their OS maps. The OS app isn't exactly feature-rich (for example the lack of a sensible whole-country map to zoom in on means you sometimes have to do a bit of guessing, and the printing facilities are a bit basic) and the Android version is a bit crashy, but it's improving. To me it's good value at £15 pa or so for up-to-date maps of the whole country compared with some of the alternatives.

Get a [u]free[/u] 3 month trial of OS Maps with Jennings Beer special offer 😆

MMMtracker is still free and still what i use

I think I have to say

Back Country Navigator again

Its not perfect and is no more like £10

But then that's the whole country free with no annual subsrcipton. Well until some one closes the loop hole

Another vote for backcountry navigator... Any os maps offline for less than a tenner

Tick

Another vote for Back Country Navigator. Think there's a free trial version of the app that you can try before buying the full app.

Hello, guess it's my time to chime in again here.

The Android version is coming along and will be getting more features added as quickly as we can. I promised offline caching to someone on here a few weeks back and within a week or so we had it online. We listen!

Don't like the fact that it doesn't synchronise routes with my online library.

This is coming soon! It's one of our big priorities.

I'm stoked people are using and enjoying our app! We read all feedback through the official feedback submission and I read and forward on anything interesting I read here if I spot it.

Cheers!

Im still at a loss how OS MapFinder is supposed to work/not work with OS Maps or indeed how it all is supposed to work with OS Maps on my computer. OR heaven forbid which one works with a code on a new map...

and It wont direct a route automatically along a path. Which Ive been able to do on something like gmap-pedometer for nearly 10yrs!

[quote=plyphon ]I promised offline caching to someone on here a few weeks back and within a week or so we had it online.Yes - thank you. Saves using that unofficial workaround.

One of the reasons I went for the cheaper BCN option was that I felt I'd paid once in paper format for all the OS maps I'll likely need, Lake District paper maps I've paid for about 5 times over, over the years. I somewhat begrudged paying for it all over again, that's how I justify it to myself anyhows.

Completely agree.

Being charged just to look at maps you've already bought is a kick when there's no additional/useful functionality.

I knew that wouldn't go down well. I have followed the OS app development and did sign up to the Beta(?) testing (didn't get selected). I've always thought/think that when it is developed and people are raving about it I will sign up fully.

I'm really pleased with ViewRanger on Android. I've gone with the option where I pay a one-off fee in advance which entitled me to a certain number of map tiles. So I just download the tiles for the regions where I do riding or walking - anywhere in the UK.

Thanks for the replies.

Back Country Navigator does look good.
MMTracker I think I paid for many years ago but it has disappeared from the store. I can see it mentioned on XDA Developers and could track down a copy.
Alpine Quest is another I found that can read my old Memory Map files but it puts white lines down the page.

I'd happily pay the OS sub if I thought it would work but I'm not feeling confident about that. I'm another who has paid repeatedly for the same mapping (have a big box of paper maps and have bought the whole UK in electronic format three times) so I have no moral problem using BCN.

I'm happy to pay the sub because it ensures current, updated maps. Paper maps go out of date (admittedly not immediately or with massive changes) but they do age.

Another Back Country Nav user here - very happy with it.

I read that as Black Country Navigator. Sounds ok but a bit of a specialist market...?

Someone might want to double check my maths and understanding of the costs on this, but one of the main reasons I was initially put off signing up (and begrudged paying again, nearly triple again) was that OS are charging £1.99 for a 10km X 10km Explorer tile for Android. That's equiv. to a paper explorer map costing £24 (paper maps are £8.99). In electronic format, this is without the cost of paper, printing, distribution and retailer margin etc etc.
Explorer printed maps are now coming out, still at £8.99, with the electronic tiles included for that area. That'll probably be my route into this, as new paper maps are bought.

If you subscribe to OS Maps (£18pa) then you can download any OS 1:50k or 1:25k mapping to your phone for use offline.

That's the option I'm looking at. BCN and OS offer much the same thing letting you select an area to cache on your phone. I've had a go with the BCN trial version and it is easy to use doing exactly what I want for a one off £7.99 until the supply of map data disappears. OS is £17.99p.a and there is no trial version for me to see how it works, at least not a trial version with the functionality I want to test.

Scotroutes, is the selection of an area to cache easy? If I want a big area, say half of Wales, can I do that?

Molgrips.
Yow goo dowun the rowud, oop tha bonk an then yow goo dowun the cut.

Black Country Navigator sorted. Black Country Translator. Hmm that'll take some time.

You'd have to do that via many small chunks.

For me, I like the OS Maps web app anyway. Having the Android App is almost just a bonus. It really needs to be able to share user-created routes though.

Thanks, I shall probably wait to see how the OS app develops.

For me the Android app is the main thing and a web app is a bonus. If you could use the web app to select map areas to pass to the phone, plan routes to pick up on the phone, etc that would be brilliant. Just like Memory Map but without the up front cost and always up to date.

If you could use the web app to select map areas to pass to the phone, plan routes to pick up on the phone, etc that would be brilliant.

given the shambles to date that would be a ******** miracle!

It really needs to be able to share user-created routes though.

If you could use the web app to select map areas to pass to the phone, plan routes to pick up on the phone, etc that would be brilliant.

This is all coming. We know this is really important functionality to have this cross platform experience. The next few months are becoming really exciting tbh.

If I want a big area, say half of Wales, can I do that?

You can do quite big areas, but half of Wales in one chunk is quite a bit of data. If we receive lots of feedback saying people would like to cache larger areas at once we can look at the limit, but from what I recall we made the limit to stop people from downloading huge amounts of data without realising, then complaining that their phone is full up and it's "our fault" or that we spanked their data limit.

On the OS map app, I have yet to successfully import a gpx.
I desperately needed to use a gpx on the weekend, it was recorded via some other app and was well over the 200kb limit so I split it in two using route converter, still would not work.
I recorded a 60k ride on sunday, which will not import to the pc version due to it being over 200kb....im out sadly, and regret paying the yearly sub.

I'm really pleased with ViewRanger on Android. I've gone with the option where I pay a one-off fee in advance which entitled me to a certain number of map tiles. So I just download the tiles for the regions where I do riding or walking - anywhere in the UK.

Someone might want to double check my maths and understanding of the costs on this, but one of the main reasons I was initially put off signing up (and begrudged paying again, nearly triple again) was that OS are charging £1.99 for a 10km X 10km Explorer tile for Android. That's equiv. to a paper explorer map costing £24 (paper maps are £8.99). In electronic format, this is without the cost of paper, printing, distribution and retailer margin etc etc.
Explorer printed maps are now coming out, still at £8.99, with the electronic tiles included for that area. That'll probably be my route into this, as new paper maps are bought

I don't think people are reading other peoples posts

With back country navigator you can have all the maps your phone will hold fpr £10

On the OS map app, I have yet to successfully import a gpx.
I desperately needed to use a gpx on the weekend, it was recorded via some other app and was well over the 200kb limit so I split it in two using route converter, still would not work.
I recorded a 60k ride on sunday, which will not import to the pc version due to it being over 200kb....im out sadly, and regret paying the yearly sub.

I'll ask whats up with this tomorrow

@Molgrips,

Why is BCN a bit specialist ?

It's
- easy to use,
- cheap (one off charge),
- caches 1:25,000 maps on the phone,
- easy & fast to select & download maps.
- can use other map types like opencyclemap when abroad.

What's not to like ?

Why is BCN a bit specialist ?

He was referring to B[b]l[/b]ack Country Navigator, it's like BCN but only covers the West Midlands.

ampthill - Member
I don't think people are reading other peoples posts

With back country navigator you can have all the maps your phone will hold fpr £10

On the OS map app, I have yet to successfully import a gpx.

I'll ask whats up with this tomorrow

Did this go anywhere? I don't see any way to import a .gpx to the mobile app either. Create the route on your PC then you can't use it on your mobile!

If I email the .gpx to myself it either opens in the Memory Map app or, if I uninstall that I get told I don't have an app that will open this file type.

FYI - the latest version of the Android app lets you see/use routes you've created on a PC

Good to know, its always been an annoyance with me. Cheers 🙂

Appears to work too but about five months too late to retain my custom

That's good, cheers scotroutes. Can I pre-download an area on to the phone for when I go out of reception yet?

I'm unlikely to keep ym OS subscription for another year... I'll probably just spend the money saved on OS tiles in Viewranger.

You can download maps to your phone but it is a rather awkward application to use for this. You download a screens worth at a time but not just any screen, you have to be zoomed in to quite a limited area.

The OS app looks nice but the functionality has been a big disappointment to me

I'll probably just spend the money saved on OS tiles in Viewranger.

That will make two of us

Sounds like it's still a way off being ready for public release.

OS must be loving all these paying alpha testers they have

There is no need to point and laugh Stoner, I'm feeling peed off enough already. There is a reminder in my calendar 'Cancel OS subscription'

I just hurt because I fell for it too.
Frankly a scam.
Disgraceful for such a core national brand to bring such a crap product to the market.

I have no personal gripe with plyphon, I applaud his efforts, but there is no way that app and desktop suite should have made it to release for a fee.

And christ knows what the apps is trying to do when framing for offline downloads. Offers nothing over BCN.

I want OS maps on my mobile and I want them available offline. I have been using my now aging Memory Map 1:50000 for years but Memory Map want £15 just for me to keep using them on a new device

Why do you need to pay? Changing between android and iOS?

I've recently got a new phone and just moved the map files from my old phone to my new one (both Android) and the memory map app finds them with no problems.

Maverick. OS and many other types of maps including opencyclemap, off line caching, cheap.

Thank me later.

I thought Maverick wanted a hefty payment to load any new maps after Feb last year.

I just hurt because I fell for it too.
Frankly a scam.
Disgraceful for such a core national brand to bring such a crap product to the market.

I have no personal gripe with plyphon, I applaud his efforts, but there is no way that app and desktop suite should have made it to release for a fee.

And christ knows what the apps is trying to do when framing for offline downloads. Offers nothing over BCN.

Im just catching up with this thread- what are your exact issues?

The reason you have to "frame" you offline download is because the map data gets very big, very quickly. A lot of users have 16gb iPhones or similar size Android devices (Without SD cards to expand) - we don't want to frustrate users with these smaller capacity phones by them not being aware how large map data can be and then suddenly filling up their device with no way to remove the data without deleting the whole chunk when they're out and about.

Currently with Explorer mapping you can zoom out and get around 200mb of mapping (depends on the area on the data size)

16gb devices get full very quickly with just a handful of apps and high res photos/videos, and a very very vast majority of users have these phones.

Then give a choice or add a warning of what the file size will be. The area I can download is frustratingly small for me as a user (until my year is up). I have a 32GB phone with a 64GB SD card just so I can have large maps and other useful offline stuff.

Yeh - i mean. Another reason is the data connection concern. People might forget they are not on wifi or download whilst out a about, and suddenly they've pulled down a 2gig portion of the UK and shot over their limit facing a hefty bill.

It's a situation that could potentially cost someone money if they're not paying attention on one end, and a situation that annoys people like yourself on the other end.

edit: Just to make sure you're aware - once you have downloaded an area, you don't need to go into "my maps" to view it every time. Just select the Explorer/etc map stack and it'll display every saved chunk regardless of connection.

A lot of users have 16gb iPhones or similar size Android devices

I have to assume these users are happy with online mapping or they'd have chosen a device with more capacity. Even if this is not the case there is nothing to stop them downloading only small areas. I'm being forced to download many silly little tiles with no way of being sure I haven't missed a bit OR to use a different app. I've chosen the latter.

People might forget they are not on wifi

Then put in a default setting of 'only download on wifi' with a switch or allow a mobile data cap in settings. There are plenty of answers but all I'm reading are excuses why the app hasn't been made more useful

I posted this above in an edit also:

Just to make sure you're aware - once you have downloaded an area, you don't need to go into "my maps" to view it every time. Just select the Explorer/etc map stack and it'll display every saved chunk regardless of connection.

Viewing the maps isn't my issue it's the downloading that I think is poor

It's a fair statement and certainly not a unique criticism - it's on our radar !

In 2005, I could create a route here http://gmap-pedometer.com/ that would automatically follow paths/trails/roads according to activity type. For free.

OS Maps: click every bend in every track....

There are any number of free apps that allow me to view OS mapping for free. Some have added functionality. I already own a few OS maps:
[img] [/img]
If I'm paying a sub, I expect something for it over and above the map data that I already possess...

So OS sell me the ability to look at maps on my phone with.....no additional functionality (nothing worthwhile anyway). That's an affront to decency that is.

Offline map cache? Not in original version. But in plenty of free apps.
cache size limit? offline map file location? [b]I[/b] will tell the app how big a file size and where to store it...
Sharing routes between PC & android? Only 6months into a 12month sub....
Route making with Route snapping? Only in "National Parks" apparently - anyone tried it, does it work? For every where else? Probably after another £40 of subs?
Route cards next to useless. CSV download? Share with Google sheets?

So I have paid £20 for only 12 months use of an app and online resource that offers me nothing over a free one. From the source of the mapping I really was expecting something much much better.

There wont be another £20 coming from me anytime soon.

Sorry plython. I know you're at the sharp end but as I said in the first threads 11 months ago, OS approach to this has been bitty, badly joined up, and woefully short on functionality.

and OS MapFinder on Android? Out back with a shotgun for that one. 52Mb app that runs badly. Why does it even still exist in the playstore?

Tried a few different apps and they're all pretty basic and not very good.

Best seemed to be Anquet. You can buy the UK (or smaller sections if you want) in Landranger or Explorer maps, costs a bit, especially if you want both scales and in High Res, but they're yours once you have them. The software is better than most and you can run Android and PC at the same time.

They do appear to be slowly working on things and do send out software updates from time to time.

ViewRanger is the one I've settled on but choice really depends on what you want.For me I was won over by

1. Offline mapping
2. Route planning that is simple and the routes are shared across PC, Android, etc
3. Routes I create can have waymarkers that pop up a little message on my Android watch so I can mostly follow a route with the odd glance at my wrist

OS Maps user here too. Not got round to using much in anger unfortunately but am familiar with the issue around 'framing' the maps for offline download. It would be so much easier to be able to choose (for example) an offline area as per the corresponding paper map number.
RM.

I really wanted to get behind this, I really like the OS, its history & being a properly British institution - I've got loads of the paper maps & use the 1:50000 on my Garmin but this app is a real let down, come on OS you can do better than this.

All gone quiet on this - did OS Maps ever sort out the issues?

Watching with interest

I use their OS Map iPhone App whenever I'm in the hills, excellent VFM and works really well. Barely get the real map our of my bag now. Offline download works really well, so don't use any data allowance / need coverage.

[quote=Trailseeker ]All gone quiet on this - did OS Maps ever sort out the issues?
List the issues and I'll let you know. I'm an occasional user so have watched developments with interest.

Works very well on iPhone. My biggest gripe is they "upgraded" the search so its now hopeless retruning dozens of streets etc when you are searching for a town and geographical features like mountains aren't found. A perfect example is searching for "Snowdon" 😐

List the issues and I'll let you know.

It just seems some of the previous posters don't consider it debugged.

Remember this thread is 9 months old

As an update, you can now sign up for a 7 day free trial of the app (which then downgrades to a free account when up) which is a great way to see what's up.

I don't want to fall foul of the rules of STW and be promoting it too much so that all I'll say on the matter for now 🙂

Remember this thread is 9 months old

Hence asking for updates.