If you're not using Google Maps as your navigation assistant, your choices of accurate and updated mapping solutions are varied, but OpenStreetMaps (OSM) remains one of the top contenders thanks to an open-source user-generated approach. There are many OSM apps on Android, but the choice is much more limited for apps that also allow users to edit and contribute data right from their phones. There's the simple OSM Contributor which is just an editor, Bertel's favorite OsmAnd which is a full-fledged navigator and editor, and now MAPS.ME is getting updated to allow for OSM editing.

With version 6.0, MAPS.ME is adding a new editor to allow its 40M+ users to add and edit places right from the app, without having to wait until they're in front of a computer to use the online OSM tools. The interface seems intuitive and well designed, with options to report problems, mark closed places as such, and add phone numbers, opening hours, websites, and more to each POI. The edits show up instantly on your phone and are sent to the OSM servers right away or the next time you have an internet connection if you're offline. There still doesn't seem to be a way to upload GPX tracks and record trips in the background, but with the editor function now live, it should theoretically be the next step for the MAPS.ME developers.

WHAT'S NEW

6.0.6:

— Minor bugs fixes

6.0:

— Map editor: add new places to the map and edit existing ones directly from the app! Please be careful — all your edits will be visible for users worldwide.

— New way of downloading maps: we have divided maps into smaller parts to save space on your device. You can now download just the regions you need.

— Improved search function: address search has been significantly improved. If you still can’t find a place, please check if it is mapped in the app.

The update also cuts offline maps into smaller chunks to let you only save the regions that you need on your device instead of bigger areas. It's already live in the Play Store and free to grab at the link below.