The European Google Maps arrives in Spain, but it's not new: it's been around for 25 years and this is how it works.

Virtually everyone at some point in their lives has used Google Maps to find out where a place is or how to get there. The Google Maps app has a ton of useful features and is now much more than a simple navigation tool. However, there's one that arrived long before and seems to have been forgotten, despite being very similar to the latter.

We're talking about Mapy , a 25-year-old tool that's now launching across Europe after operating exclusively locally in just one country. Below, we'll explain what it is, how it works, and why you might want to consider it as an alternative to Google Maps.

Mapy's story

This app was launched in 1998 in the Czech Republic and has been used throughout the country ever since, starting with car maps in various cities. Over the years, its service has expanded following its acquisition by the Czech company Sesnam.cz , which began promoting it.

This year , they changed the final part of their .cz domain to .com and are now operating globally. Although it offers many of the same features as Google Maps , it doesn't rely on Google data to generate its maps and routes, but instead uses its own database, even outside the Czech Republic.

What Mapy includes

Mapy is translated into Spanish, includes maps from around the world , restaurant recommendations, public services, hiking and biking routes , tips from local users, and even weather information for your location. It also offers real-time traffic data, although this feature is only available in Germany and Austria for now.

It's true that, depending on the region in the world, it doesn't offer all the information that it can offer in European locations, but since it's open source, users from different countries will be able to help improve the app by adding new locations, updating information, uploading new photos, etc., as the company confirmed in a statement.

One of its weaknesses is that some information about establishments in Spain may be outdated , although users can submit corrections to improve this information. The app is compatible with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay .

Where Mapy can be used and how much it costs

Regarding availability, Mapy has a free and a paid version . The premium version costs 19 euros per year and includes benefits such as offline map downloads, among other features. It can be used from itswebsite and downloaded from Google Play for Android or the App Store for iOS.

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