EOTopo 2025

Submitted: Sunday, Jan 19, 2025 at 12:29
ThreadID: 149480 Views:736 Replies:5 FollowUps:4
I have EOTopo 2023 and 2024. Why would I now need 2025?
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Reply By: Peter M116 - Sunday, Jan 19, 2025 at 12:43

Sunday, Jan 19, 2025 at 12:43
I tend to agree as it seems like a yearly subscription model is coming but absolutely no information on what is different in the actual maps. They might have some hairy fairy maybe different tracks and logs systems or commands but bugger all users go there. Why not put together a marketing package of places they have changed.
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Reply By: Member - Jim S1 - Sunday, Jan 19, 2025 at 14:01

Sunday, Jan 19, 2025 at 14:01
A few dollars for the latest version ? Seems like a bargain to me. Cheaper than one night at a very average campsite.
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Follow Up By: Member - Bigfish - Monday, Jan 20, 2025 at 08:04

Monday, Jan 20, 2025 at 08:04
It would only be a bargain if it had something that the previous version did not and that you really needed to use it. I,ll wait and see what the new version has had modified/adapted/altered to see if it is of any benefit. I find the current 2024 mapping more than eneough.I also have many detailed maps and several other mapping/travel apps. Cheers
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Reply By: Member - rocco2010 - Sunday, Jan 19, 2025 at 14:31

Sunday, Jan 19, 2025 at 14:31
Answer is you may not need need it.

I'll be waiting to see what extra features, besides any new roads and tracks, are provided before I decide whether to update.

Just the same as making a decision about buying a new edition of a paper map or atlas or wikicamps directory.

Or anything new really.

Cheers





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Reply By: Briste - Monday, Jan 20, 2025 at 09:45

Monday, Jan 20, 2025 at 09:45
First let me say that I am about to buy the map upgrade, partly to have the latest maps, and partly to support David and Michelle.

One reason to upgrade now and then seems to be that if you don't and it your device is set to auto update the app, then sooner or later the app will stop working. Why? Because older versions of the maps will not be supported. This was an issue when app 7.2 (IIRC) was released and the older 2019 raster based maps were no longer supported.

I understood that you can't support that older technology forever, but there was someone here who was mightily aggrieved when his app auto updated and stopped working. Once this happened he couldn't go back. I don't recall there being any warning of this and I had a lot of sympathy for the individual in question. I understand the importance of map sales to the ExplorOZ business, but I think that some warning was warranted so that people at least had the choice.

This time there has been some warning that the 2021 maps will no longer work, so that's an improvement, although it hasn't been highlighted enough in my view. It's not clear to me why 2021 is no longer supported, since it is vector based.

I don't know whether this works in Apple, but in Android it is possible to back up an installed app, which saves the APK file, so that you can revert to an older version if required. Anyone relying on 2021 maps should do this, and turn off auto updates of the app.
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Follow Up By: Ben P15 - Monday, Jan 20, 2025 at 16:53

Monday, Jan 20, 2025 at 16:53
I would not say there has been much warning. I have only just found out about the change because I happened to read a marketing email about a discount. Not really what I would call an EOL announcement.

I have 2021 maps. The current map T&C's say "Each edition is supported for 4 years".
The T&C's when I purchased made no reference to any fixed lifespan.

This appears to be a stealth subscription model. If the app can read one vector file it can read them all, unless, of course, it is programmed not to.

If I buy a map then I expect to be able to use it until I decide I would like to pay for the benefit of new data.
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Follow Up By: Member - wicket - Monday, Jan 20, 2025 at 17:39

Monday, Jan 20, 2025 at 17:39
You can use the maps forever by not updating to the latest EO Traveller update, just keep using your current maps and EOTraveller version.
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Follow Up By: ExplorOz - David & Michelle - Monday, Jan 20, 2025 at 18:40

Monday, Jan 20, 2025 at 18:40
Hi everyone,

I’d like to take a moment to address concerns and clarify some misunderstandings about our map update schedule and licensing.

The EOTopo licence for vector maps—introduced with the 2021 edition—has consistently operated on a 4-year support period. This means that updates to the Traveller app are designed to support EOTopo editions released in the past four years. While the 2021 edition has now reached the end of its support period, this aligns with the transition we made from raster maps to vector maps in 2021.

The shift to vector maps was driven by their significant performance and feature improvements, such as better rendering, scalability, and accuracy. This transition also allowed us to support older devices of the time alongside newer ones, ensuring the app remained efficient and functional across a broader range of hardware. By retiring raster maps and phasing out support for older vector map editions after 4 years, we’ve been able to optimise the Traveller app’s performance while maintaining compatibility with more devices. These changes were announced in 2021 when the 4-year licensing model was introduced.

To provide some perspective:

The full price of $49.99 for an EOTopo licence over 4 years equates to just $12.50 per year, which we believe is exceptional value for maps that are regularly updated with new data.

For anyone still using the 2021 edition, we’re currently offering an upgrade to the 2025 edition at 25% off, reducing the cost to just $37.49. That’s less than $9.40 per year for the next 4 years.

We’re a small Australian business, passionate about creating high-quality maps for Australian travellers. Without the support of customers like you, we wouldn’t be able to sustain our operations or continue improving our products. The updates we provide are not just optional—they reflect our commitment to keeping the maps accurate and up-to-date for all users.

Ultimately, the choice to upgrade is yours, and we respect that. However, we hope this explanation helps you see the value of the EOTopo maps and the reasons behind our licensing structure.

Best regards Michelle
David (DM) & Michelle (MM)
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Currently Mapping in the Field Across Australia Fulltime in 2023 - 2025

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Reply By: Member - McLaren3030 - Tuesday, Jan 21, 2025 at 07:02

Tuesday, Jan 21, 2025 at 07:02
My “Two Cents Worth”,

Interesting to note from the responses so far, the majority of those that are complaining regarding paying for the update are not members of Exploroz.

I see no difference between paying for these updates, and paying for an updated HEMA Navigator, or an updated paper map set, or an updated Camps Book etc.

Macca.
Macca.

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