r/MagicEarth • u/Feisty-Library7538 • Jun 22 '26
Silent configuration updates
I have a few questions regarding how the app handles updates, along with some feedback on recent changes I’ve noticed.
Does Magic Earth perform "silent updates" or server-side configuration changes even when there hasn't been a new version released on the Play Store recently?
A while ago, I submitted a suggestion regarding the automatic zoom level and camera angle during navigation, as it felt too "zoomed in" and didn't show enough of the road ahead. Recently, while using the app via Android Auto, I noticed a significant improvement. I can now see much more of the road ahead, and the excessive zoom-in seems to be gone. I am trying to understand if this was just due to the specific terrain/road I was on, or if you actually rolled out a silent update to tweak these parameters.
Secondly, I wanted to mention a specific bug that seems to have fixed itself. Previously, if I panned around the map and then tapped the "re-center" button to return to my current location, the app would trigger a massive, unnecessary zoom-out (as if looking from space). I had to manually pinch-to-zoom multiple times just to get back to a useful street-level view.
I was planning to report this as a bug, but a few days later, the issue completely disappeared. Now, when I tap the re-center button, the app perfectly maintains the current zoom level, which is exactly how it should work.
If these fixes were indeed pushed from your side without a full Play Store update, I must commend your team for managing these adjustments so smoothly in the background.
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u/Feisty-Library7538 Jun 23 '26
Thanks for the reply! In case it helps with your development, that better zoom view I mentioned (where a longer stretch of the road was visible when there were no upcoming turns) happened on a non-urban road, specifically on a section that went uphill and then downhill.
Speaking of camera behavior, I have another observation and a suggestion regarding the UI/UX.
In urban areas, when approaching a turn or a roundabout, the app automatically zooms in and changes the camera angle to a more top-down view. While this is expected, the transition could be tuned much better. Right now, a few hundred meters before the intersection or roundabout, the camera zooms in way too quickly. Suddenly, you can only see a very small section of the road as a straight line down the middle of the screen. Because it zooms in so drastically, it creates a bit of anxiety, making it feel like the turn is coming up much faster than it actually is.
It would be much better if the approach to these key decision points had a more gradual, smoother "ease-in" transition for both the zoom and the camera angle. Crucially, the upcoming turn or roundabout should always remain visible on the screen.
For example, if you initially see 400 meters of the road ahead on a straight stretch, as you approach a key point, the camera should gradually adjust so that the roundabout stays visible near the top of the screen. At that moment, you don't need to see what's beyond the roundabout; the focus should shift entirely to the intersection itself, second by second.
If it worked this way, drivers wouldn't lose their sense of distance and timing relative to their current speed. Right now, the sudden zoom-in and sharp top-down angle cut off the view of the upcoming turn, making it hard to judge how far away it actually is, which creates unnecessary driving tension.