I like the app a lot but I wonder how they make money to pay developers given that its not Foss.
Regain your privacy! Adopt /e/ the unGoogled mobile OS and online services
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Interesting question which got me doing some digging, and trying to find out more about the comany that makes the app.
The app is developed by a company called General Magic, previously known as Route 66, based in Switzerland. On their website [1] they describe themselves as
The global location platform that uses open data and respects privacy.
The platform
deploys more than 2,000 open data sources – ranging from maps, elevation and satellite data, weather, points-of-interest, Wikipedia, public transport and address data. [2]
They make their money from a series of SDKs which allow other companies and developers to access the General Magic platform in their own apps and products, paying a small anount for each access to the platform (after an initial free allowance) [3]
I guess they use the Magic Earth app as a way of publicising and showing off the capabilities of their platform.
As Route 66, they developed two Android apps [4]: an app called Route 66 Navigation, and a previous version of the Magic Earth app. Both these apps were free, but offered in-app purchases.
So it looks like this is a company that has been around for a while, has changed its name, and has tried different ways of making money from software products.
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Different Magic Earth I think.
Oh really, sorry, I have been carrying that prejudice for a while, pleased to be relieved of it, thanks!
What a great answer. Thank you for doing the digging!
Thanks! Just to add some details:
General Magic’s website is here: https://www.generalmagic.com/about/. That lists addresses in Switzerland, Romania and the Netherlands.
The registered entity for General Magic is, according to its terms of service (https://www.generalmagic.com/terms-of-service/), General Magic B.V., which is registered in the Netherlands (https://opencorporates.com/companies/nl/30127362). There is a related entity, General Magic Europe B.V., also registered in the Netherlands. The Open Corporates listing for this firm states that it was previously called, as Petefoth notes, Route 66 Geographic Information Systems(https://opencorporates.com/companies/nl/30112631). There are not directors or shareholders for either firm listed on OpenCorporates.
The company LinkedIn page for General Magic is here: https://www.linkedin.com/company/generalmagic/. That page lists 27 employees of the firm, all of whom list themselves as being based in Romania.
The name ‘General Magic’ has been used by a number of other firms, notably the early PDA pioneer, the LinkedIn page for which is here: https://www.linkedin.com/company/general-magic/about/
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