By means of updates in mid-March 2019 we have introduced new maps in the Naviki app. The new maps provide numerous advantages, which we briefly present on this page. In the course of the introduction of the new maps, some of our users experienced problems which we also comment on below and for which we explain solutions. 

    

Advantages of the new maps    

    

We have developed the new maps in order to offer the following advantages, among others:

• Selection of several bicycle-specific map styles for different tastes 
• Optional automatic night mode
• Hill shading for the representation of mountains
• Display of contour lines 
• 3D representation of buildings (style "Muscle Ache")
• Display of regional, national and international theme and brand routes ("Plus" styles and "Muscle Ache")
• Display of bicycle route nodes ("Plus" styles and "Muscle Ache") which are particularly popular in the Netherlands, Belgium and the German-Dutch border area.
• Display of MTB-Trails
• Automatic alignment of fonts in viewing direction

The new maps are based on advanced technologies. They are vector maps, allowing continuous zooming without loss of quality. The maps are always sharp and easy to read.

The introduction of the new maps also has an effect on Naviki's Offline Maps. Because we have fundamentally changed the technology for map display, it is necessary to re-download existing Offline Maps.

    

Occured problems and their solution

    

Time required for downloading Offline Maps

While the map data is being downloaded, your device processes it further to display a map. This requires the computing power of the device, which can be time consuming, especially on older devices. We are working to provide a better solution regarding this matter. By the way, the reason for the longer loading time is not a lack of performance of our servers.

We currently recommend that you download only those map sections that you actually need. You can download additional map sections at any time.

It may feel pleasant to have e.g. "all of Europe" or "all of Germany" stored on your mobile. But looked at soberly this is certainly not really necessary in most cases. Nevertheless, we are currently examining how we can also offer larger regions or entire countries as a complete download package in the near future.

     

Time required for displaying the map

The time in which the map builds up to can be longer with the new maps than with the previous Naviki maps. An improvement in the latest app update (version 3.1901.2 and newer) already significantly reduces the loading time compared to the first version with the new maps. However, the time to display the map still depends on the number of downloaded map sections.

Also for this reason, we recommend that you currently only download those map sections to your device that you really need.

Another factor for duration in which the map builds up is the performance of the smartphone or tablet you use. That's why we can't give a general recommendation as to how many map sections you should download.

    

Appearance and information included in the new maps

Many users have reported that they find the design of the new map styles beautiful and useful. Others are not yet satisfied with the appearance and information displayed. We are currently collecting feedback on these points and will evaluate it over the next few days and weeks, draw conclusions from it and improve various points in the near future.