Last night Organic Maps was removed from the Play Store without any warnings or additional details due to "not meeting the requirements for the Family Program". Compared to Google Maps and other maps apps rated for 3+ age, there are no ads or in-app purchases in Organic Maps. We have asked for an appeal.
As a temporary workaround for the Google Play issue, you can install the new upcoming Google Play update from this link: https://cdn.organicmaps.app/apk/OrganicMaps-24081605-GooglePlay.apk
The Announcement on various Networks:
Fosstodon Post
Twitter Post
Telegram Post
If you don't know what Organic Maps is, it is an alternative to OsmAnd and google maps, more info on the official site (link) and GitHub.
Maybe an error? Honestly this is a weird one. I hope we will learn more in the coming hours.
You can still get it on the other channels, like F-Droid or Obtainium. Still, we all know that not being on the Play Store is an heavy sentence for any Android app.
EDITs
- Added F-Droid link.
- Fixed Typo in the obtainium link.
It's too bad that it's not available without anti-features in F-Droid. I disable all anti-features in Settings so intially I thought OrganicMaps is not in F-Droid until I checked the website.
Yeah... I wonder if it's the same story here - devs trying to interpret the rules in their own special way and Google putting their foot down.
EDIT: as far as I can tell they kept referral links in the Google Play version and still claim to have no ads or tracking.
I guess they're still lying.
What are anti-features?
I would describe it as software that is not 100% open source, and/or connects to services that run is not purely open source software connecting through standard protcols. It can't have a proprietary connection.
Basically, if both the software and the service do not run reprodible builds of the software, it is an anti-feature. For example, Proton, Telegram and NewPipe are open source apps, but the source code for their servers is not published so it's a proprietary connection or servers run proprietary software, so those apps have anti-features.
F-Droid promotes free and open software, this also includes freedom from proprietary network services, ads etc. Look here for a list: https://f-droid.org/docs/Anti-Features/