Leaving Google's core services behind is never easy, but there are plenty of reasons to try. One of the most important is the tracking of each user at different levels. Using a map shouldn't include the complete record of your trips or locations, and that is the pressure point of Qwant Maps. The beta of the service was presented to the public recently, and with the help of OpenStreetMap, it promises complete and accurate maps, without absorbing personal data.
The rules are well known: in exchange for several free services, we must feed the algorithms and keep Big Data healthy. The problem is that they want more and more, and many users are saying enough. In some cases, the path leads to advanced and complex hacks, and in others, to behavior that borders on criminal. The challenge is enormous, and part of it requires abandoning services we have used for years. An example? Google Maps.
Now, Apple has maps, and Microsoft has maps... however, we are swapping one sandbox for another. This is where OpenStreetMap comes in. It is not perfect, and it suffers from several problems when processing addresses, but it is going in the right direction, and the number of services using its API keeps growing. One of them is the new Qwant Maps, in beta.
Qwant Maps: Alternative to Google Maps
Qwant Maps does not require logins or account creation. All functionality is there from the start, with controls very similar to those of Google Maps. Of course, the "beta pains" are frequent. Entering exact addresses is a little more complicated than it should be, and it carries a certain excess of optimism in the time calculations to reach the destination. The available parameters are limited to cars, bicycles, or walking, so we'll have to wait for public transport support. Other missing aspects are the ability to avoid certain streets, or add stops to our route.
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The rest suggests enormous potential. Click on one of the icons in the services section, and Qwant Maps will show information focused on hotels, restaurants, cinemas, pharmacies, banks, markets, and more. Although the service is compatible with geolocation functions, its developers indicate that your location will not be saved on the servers, although they still recommend minimizing its use and turning it off completely when you finish.
Does it need work? Yes, that's why it carries the "beta" label, but with so little time online, Qwant Maps is better than I expected. It wouldn't be bad if in the future it managed to add an open source mobile app, available outside the Play Store.
Official site: Click here
