this post was submitted on 03 Oct 2025
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Was there any reason to make this an ios app as opposed to a website hosted outside the US? I'm really not surprised by the removal. What did they expect? All the Tech CEOs came to the inauguration with bags of cash.
Yeah good point. Plus if it's a website you can use it in private mode and not have evidence that you were helping people evade the gestapo all over your phone.
The only reason I can think of is the cost. Apple makes the map API free if you use Apple Maps on Apple devices. If you are building a website, you have to pay for Mapbox or Google Maps, etc., that can get pricey for indie developers.
Isn’t Open Street Map free?
But anyway, these apps are all about accessibility to regular folks. Believe it or not many people don’t know how to bookmark a website. Also this app gives you notifications, something a website could only do via email or something.
Yep, Strava doesn't have any problems using OpenStreetMaps. No reason they couldn't either.
Barrier to entry.
Many (dare I say most) folks don’t know how to use a web browser, much less find a web app. Installing an App Store app is much easier.
It’s also much lower visibility for those who do know.
And that’s especially critical for this app, which relies on tons of people using it.
The creator is a dumdum
Building an iOS app is faster and simpler than building a web app. The developer also said he took advantage of some privacy features in the iOS development kit that made it easy to keep people anonymous.
But Apple still knows you downloaded and used the app. Apple collects plenty of data on iOS, and their "privacy" marketing only applies to third party apps downloaded from the App Store.