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Free Instead of $2.99: Make a live city wallpaper from Google Maps

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The free app of the day that I want to introduce to you is Cartogram. This Android application allows you to create wallpapers from a location on Google Maps. The Cartogram app is temporarily free on the Google Play Store instead of $2.99.


TL;DR

  • Cartogram contains no ads or in-app purchases.
  • The promotion on the Play Store is valid for six days.
  • The app has a 4-star rating with 2374 reviews and 100.000 installations.

Why is the Cartogram worth it?

Cartogram lets you create wallpapers, animated or not, for your Android home and lock screen. The app accesses your location via Google Maps and lets you create a custom wallpaper with over 30 different styles.

You can use your own location or simply search for one wherever you like. You also have the option to hide your geolocation on the screen so that the point of your location does not appear.

The application does not contain ads or in-app purchases and does not require the creation of any account to work. The interface is clear, and the features are easy to understand.

free app day cartogram1
Cartogram offers over 30 different styles / © NextPit

Does Cartogram respect my privacy?

The very functioning of Cartogram implies that you have to give it access to your geolocation, both the general and the accurate location.

Running the app under the exodus-privacy platform scan, we can see that Cartogram requires 14 permissions in all. That's a lot. In addition to the ones related to your location that I just mentioned, there are also those to run in the background or to access your network.

You might as well say that it's intrusive, especially since Cartogram contains three trackers, analytical ones of course, but still. The Irish developer Round Tower indicates that it collects usage data in its privacy policy. Still, there is no mention of third parties or trackers for advertising purposes.

What do you think of our free app of the day? Have you installed the Cartogram app on your smartphone? Let me know what kind of apps you'd like to see more of.

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Antoine Engels

Antoine Engels
Senior Editor

Black belt in specs sheet analysis. OnePlus fanboy in (slow) remission. Average estimated reading time of my articles: 48 minutes. Tech deals fact-checker in my spare time. Hates talking about himself in the 3rd person. Dreams he was a gaming journalist in another life. Doesn't get the concept of irony. Head of editorial for NextPit France.

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