I've recently switched to Organic Maps as a replacement for gmaps. Navigation is offline, it uses OSM for its basemap and points of interest, and you can easily save points (and export them) without needing to login to an account. I also find it easier to use for planning routes for diving or hiking. The only problem is that it doesn't have that nifty terrain view from gmaps or a way to show an aerial satellite view.
OsmAnd is ok as well and offers more layer choices, but it's heavier. Organic Maps is great though to just quickly see where you are for instance. No fuzz, just a map, which is a feature these days, unfortunately.
Yet the thing which I don't really understand in the OP's article is statements like
Many times I just want to see the name of the street I’m standing on
followed by
But for now, I’m stuck with Google Maps
Of course I don't know whether they really think there are no other maps than Google and Apple, but that seems rather far fetched. This seems such a basic 'right tool for the job' thing. You have a computer in your hand, it's still supposed to work for you and not the other way around. And for a lot of things you can actually make it do that, so why wouldn't you?