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Predictable Android user post about cycle.travel Apple app

15 Aug 2022
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I see the cycle.travel Apple app is available in the wild for testing. That's great news.

But as a long-term Android user, this to say I'm really looking forward to testing a port of the app to Android as soon as it is ready!

(Thank you Richard for all your hard work on the App and the website. The UX and routing get better and better.)

Comments

Mon 15 Aug 2022, 14:34

Thanks!

I’d be really interested to know what people would find the greatest priority in an Android app. Now that a lot of the common work has been done for the iOS app (particularly the vector mapping), it might be possible to get something less full-featured up and running quickly, then add the bells and whistles later. Maybe just start with map display and route loading, and then add turn-by-turn, offline mapping etc. later?

Mon 15 Aug 2022, 17:27

In my use case.... I do all my route planning on cycle.travel, export that as a gpx, import into OsmAnd on my phone and use 'follow track' to have turn by turn navigation on my bike.

I'm not sure if that's plain vanilla or a bell or a whistle (how many more metaphors can I mix?) but if a first iteration could give me navigation from a gpx file I'd be a very happy user.

Mon 15 Aug 2022, 18:23

I suppose it depends on how people are using CT? 

Are people doing like fireball and using their phone for navigation or like me and only using CT for planning (a GPS unit does the navigation)

I'll probably be shot for suggesting this but I'd imagine you're pretty busy so my logical head says to concentrate on the iOS version, get it to as close to 100% as possible and then tackle the android. Presumably (I'm most certainly NOT a tech person) the experience of perfecting the IOS version will stand to developing the Android app and you will have a better time of it too.

If you're giving us a vote though, I vote for the same functionality as the website with downloadable maps before the "CT as a navigator" option.

On a side note, is there a reason you went IOS first?

In any case, next month, next year doesn't bother me I'm just grateful to be able to use such an excellent planner. Thank you. 

Tue 16 Aug 2022, 17:37

I really appreciate the integration of the ios app with the desktop (especially both using the same planned routes). I use cycle.travel for planning and navigating (and did so even before the ios app). I would not want to hinder the enjoyment of non-ios users but agree with HobbesOnTour that it would probably be easier to port an effectively complete app to Android (this is not based upon any understanding but it just a hunch). With the ios app + desktop + iPhone I do not feel the need of any other device. cycle.travel is much better than any other planner/navigator that I have used (and there are a number of them both paid and free).