Alternative to Google Maps location sharing / Apple FindMy

Is there a European alternative to Apple FindMy or GoogleMaps location tracking that allows you to share your location with each other?

I would be very grateful for any tips.

28 points · 20 comments · view on lemmy.world

20 Comments

zecg@lemmy.world · 5 pts · 1y (6 replies)

I use osmand and send simple plaintext coordinates: 45.89873° N, 15.94801° E

If you mean continuous location sharing, there's a tracker plugin for osmand which (sadly) uses Telegram. Haven't tried it, but if it's encrypted (as Telegram chat isn't by default), could be good.

lopar49@lemm.ee · 1 pts · 1y (5 replies)

Why’s it a bad thing that it uses telegram? How else could they have implemented it? They obviously can’t use their own servers

zecg@lemmy.world · 1 pts · 1y (4 replies)

For me, it's a bad thing because I won't install it on my phone. Same with anything Zuckerberg's.

lopar49@lemm.ee · 1 pts · 1y (3 replies)

Why is it bad?

zecg@lemmy.world · 1 pts · 1y (2 replies)

It has ads, so that disqualifies it for me, don't even have to search for other flaws.

lopar49@lemm.ee · 1 pts · 1y (1 reply)

How do you expect them to fund the development?

zecg@lemmy.world · 2 pts · 1y

I don't expect it. I just won't use or install anything that has ads, ever. You're the one asking me, I just started by saying the plugin sadly uses Telegram.

sonalder@lemmy.ml · 4 pts · 1y (2 replies)

Paralino is based in Germany. It's an end-to-end encrypted geolocation sharing app that is quite new. They said they will open source their code further in their roadmap. It's available on both iOS and Android!

mugglewue@feddit.org · 1 pts · 1y (1 reply)

Paralino looks great 👍

sonalder@lemmy.ml · 2 pts · 1y

It's quite new so maybe not as feature-packed but it might worth to bet on them cuz their app does looks great I agree!

scott@lem.free.as · 3 pts · 1y (2 replies)

Matrix allows for time-based location sharing. The Element clients have it implemented.

Also Nextcloud with the Phonetrack application installed. I use the uLogger app on Android for 24x7 location recording and it uses less than 2% of the battery over a day.

piracysails@lemm.ee · 1 pts · 1y (1 reply)

Can I set the sharing to permanent?

scott@lem.free.as · 2 pts · 1y

In Element, no.

In Nextcloud, yes.

waz@lemmy.world · 2 pts · 1y

Aprs.fi

A bit if a joke. Aprs is a common protocol amateur radio operators use to share their location.

The site mentioned is a popular site that displays said data.

CowsLookLikeMaps@sh.itjust.works · 2 pts · 1y

Has anybody tried https://mygrid.app/ ?

RandomLegend@lemmy.dbzer0.com · 2 pts · 1y (1 reply)
mugglewue@feddit.org · 1 pts · 1y
[ removed ]
smpl@discuss.tchncs.de · 1 pts · 1y (1 reply)
[ removed ]
cypherpunks@lemmy.ml · 1 pts · 1y

what led you to recommend that? it appears to be closed-source abandonware (last updated in 2021) and has very negative reviews on google play.

piracysails@lemm.ee · 1 pts · 1y (2 replies)

I too was trying to find alternatives to these services but I could not.

I saw a github "thread" ones for organic maps, but it did not get traction... They could make it a paid service as that are trusted by the community to handle that data.

There was a new application, I do not remember the name of it... But it was using google play services which I did not add to my OS.

I found the app through howtomen's YouTube channel, let me know if you need it, I will search for it.

Edit: If you have the skills, you could setup/self-host owntracks, which I could not do, securely.

sonalder@lemmy.ml · 1 pts · 1y (1 reply)

Probably Paralino

piracysails@lemm.ee · 1 pts · 1y

Correct.