Maps Default in Android 8. 1

[cawolfe39]

I have an app for parking / finding a car. When I go to find the car, the only navigation app available is (Google) Maps. I can't find a way to get Maps to not be the default navigation app. This is not a problem in Android 5.1. I don't have any other versions to try.

 

[B. Diddy]

I moved this from the Android Apps forum to the General Help forum, since the former is intended for developers to promote their apps.

What other navigation app do you want to use? Go to Settings>Apps, select Google Maps, then Defaults, and clear defaults. Now see if you get other options to select as default for navigation.

 

[Clarence Wolfe]

I have Android 8.1. Settings Maps Default is greyed out, indicating Maps is not the default navigation app, yet it certainly acts like it is. I would like to use the app GPS Status.

 

[B. Diddy]

Are you talking about this app? https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.andreabaccega.simplegps&hl=en. That doesn't appear to be a map app, so that's probably why you don't get it as a default option.

 

[cawolfe39]

That's beside the point - ParKing running on another phone under Android 5.1 lists GPS Status & Toolbox (MOBIWIA.COM - Eclipsim) as an option along with Google Maps and other map.apps. I will call your attention to the following: On my phone running Android 8.1, under Settings > Apps > Maps > Open by default > Other defaults : "No defaults set". Maps is not set as a default app in the normal sense, but is acting as if it were. I strongly suspect that this is a feature baked into Android 8.1. I would like for someone to either confirm or refute my suspicion.

 

[Clarence Wolfe]

Following is a simple and partial explanation of default apps in recent Android versions:

I observed in Android 5.1 and I read that also in Android 6, that the following is true:
For the Google Maps app for instance, when you display the app settings by going to Settings> Apps> Maps, has an option heading:
"Launch by default". Tap on this and you will either see:
"No defaults set" or:
"You've chosen to launch this app by default for some actions".

I observed in Android 7.0 and in Android 8.1 that the following is true:
For the Google Maps app for instance, when you display the app settings by going to Settings> Apps> Maps, has an option heading:
"Open by default". Tapping on this exposes three additional option headings:
"Open supported links,
"Supported links and
"Other defaults".
The options for "Other defaults" in Android 7 and 8 are the same as under "Launch by default" in Android 5 and 6.
The option heading "Supported links" lists a large number of items with which I am not familiar.
The option heading "Open supported links" is new in Android 7 and 8. Tapping on this option exposes the three options:
"Open in this app",
"Ask every time" and
"Don't open in this app".
Selecting the option "Open in this app" essentially makes this app the default app without showing it as such.
Selecting the option "Ask every time" shows a list of all the apps having the desired capability, including this app (Maps).
Selecting the option "Don't open in this app" shows a list all the apps having the desired capability, but not including this app (Maps).

Google Maps was installed with "Open in this app" selected, making it appear that Maps was the default navigation app. It was dumb luck that I stumbled on the options contained under "Open supported links". I just did not think that "Open supported links" sounded like it pertained to default apps.
Consider the this a solution to the problem that I posted.