Google Pixel Introduces Real Default Weather App
Google Pixel devices finally have a default weather app, competing with the likes of Apple and Samsung. Until now, Pixel phones offered only a basic weather interface, displaying the current weather in widgets. Tapping on these widgets would launch a rudimentary screen with a limited set of weather stats, giving the feel of a web page rather than a full-fledged app.
The launch of the Pixel Tablet this week brought a significant upgrade to Google’s weather interface. The new weather app, accessible via the same widgets, boasts a much more appealing design, maintaining the light-hearted spirit of the previous version.
The app now provides a comprehensive suite of weather data, including 10-day and 24-hour forecasts, wind speed, humidity, barometric pressure, and UV index reports. It also presents the current sun position and sunrise/sunset times, as well as hour-by-hour breakdowns of precipitation, wind, and humidity. All these features come together in a single, user-friendly screen, complete with engaging animations depicting the current weather conditions.
The revamped app also offers real-time precipitation forecasts, providing details about the intensity and duration of upcoming rainfall. This data, sourced from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and other providers, can even predict precipitation up to 12 hours in advance. these details are only displayed when relevant, meaning users won’t see them if there’s no rainfall expected in their area.
Despite the significant improvements, the new weather app is not without its shortcomings. A notable missing feature is a radar view, which is currently unavailable. there’s no dedicated app icon to launch the weather app, meaning users must still rely on a widget. the new weather app feels much more integrated into the Google ecosystem, shedding the bare-bones web page feel of its predecessor.
the new weather app is exclusive to tablets, including the Pixel Tablet and the soon-to-launch Pixel Fold. Google plans to expand the availability of the app to other devices in the future, although no specific timeline has been announced. Some developers have managed to activate the app on their devices, offering a sneak peek of how it might look on a phone-sized screen.
Samsung devices come pre-installed with a comprehensive weather app, and it remains to be seen whether Google will extend the availability of its new weather app beyond the Pixel line. Google has previously made Pixel-specific software available on other devices, so there is hope that the new weather app might follow this trend.
