Apple Acquires Weather App Dark Sky

[hourglass111]

Those 'results' don't have anything to do with Dark Sky itself. Simply looking at the radar would have given you that same information...

I see you’re dense about this.

No, looking at the radar would not have given me that same information and my results had EVERYTHING to do with DS specifically as opposed to other weather options.

Maybe it’s been a while since you’ve been in DS due to your personal issues, but when precipitation is approaching it offers a real-time graph of timing and intensity. Sometimes that has been inaccurate, but many times that graph really mattered.

Because based on that real-time data and my alert settings in DS, it would send me an alert, and that’s how I averted being caught in a downpour.

While driving the only saving grace was the alerts (believe or not I’m not using my phone while driving), and when I went to the park that time, it was the alert that made me aware of the storm and the real-time graph which helped me choose how promptly I needed to set off back home without being caught in the rain. I delayed a few minutes but made it home in time precisely because of the way DS does weather.

Meanwhile Apple’s Weather app has never saved me from weather, as it doesn’t have alerts and from what I remember it just shows a precipitation change within an hour timeframe. Useless compared to DS’s real-time data.

I’m not sure how other apps are, but am only stating that DS has done its job. My better-than-average results are directly due to DS. That’s why I’ve used it since 2015 or whenever it came out and always went back to it after testing other third party apps.

Finally, if viewing the radar info would’ve given me the same information, then you’re implying that same information was available in other apps which were just as effective as DS or even more so. … Which reverse-implies that DS has the same information as the other apps/sources you think I should be viewing the weather from. You destroyed your own argument because for some reason, you’re highly emotionally opposed to this weather app.

Maybe in these times of quarantine you can take it upon yourself to learn about emotional intelligence. The more you talk the clearer it is you don’t understand DS and probably don’t care to, and your vendetta probably has nothing to do with weather in the first place. After all, what type of person gets this upset with this little logic over an app that actually works for someone else? It doesn’t add up. Get off the internet and take a moment to feel your feelings.

 

[NaimNut]

Been wanting this app for a long time.

Hopefully now it comes to Canada

 

[psac]

Carrot is just a tacky interface for Dark Sky data.

Interesting in that going back to the beginning comments about Dark Sky's accuracy, Carrot was TERRIBLE for accuracy in NYC for me. Weather Channel and Accuweather are insanely more accurate. It was like Carrot was pulling data from a city a few states away. The wittiness couldn't overcome wrong forecasts, I had to delete it.

 

[Le Big Mac]

dark sky is their own data source. this gives apple ownership of the weather data where they dont have to be reliant on another company. just like they did with maps, transit, music, et al.

No, Dark Sky draws weather info from a variety of sources that is combines into its forecasts. https://darksky.net/dev/docs/sources

Even the darksky precipitation forecast is based on public sources of information.

 

[kuwxman]

I see you’re dense about this.

No, looking at the radar would not have given me that same information and my results had EVERYTHING to do with DS specifically as opposed to other weather options.

Maybe it’s been a while since you’ve been in DS due to your personal issues, but when precipitation is approaching it offers a real-time graph of timing and intensity. Sometimes that has been inaccurate, but many times that graph really mattered.

Because based on that real-time data and my alert settings in DS, it would send me an alert, and that’s how I averted being caught in a downpour.

While driving the only saving grace was the alerts (believe or not I’m not using my phone while driving), and when I went to the park that time, it was the alert that made me aware of the storm and the real-time graph which helped me choose how promptly I needed to set off back home without being caught in the rain. I delayed a few minutes but made it home in time precisely because of the way DS does weather.

Meanwhile Apple’s Weather app has never saved me from weather, as it doesn’t have alerts and from what I remember it just shows a precipitation change within an hour timeframe. Useless compared to DS’s real-time data.

I’m not sure how other apps are, but am only stating that DS has done its job. My better-than-average results are directly due to DS. That’s why I’ve used it since 2015 or whenever it came out and always went back to it after testing other third party apps.

Finally, if viewing the radar info would’ve given me the same information, then you’re implying that same information was available in other apps which were just as effective as DS or even more so. … Which reverse-implies that DS has the same information as the other apps/sources you think I should be viewing the weather from. You destroyed your own argument because for some reason, you’re highly emotionally opposed to this weather app.

Maybe in these times of quarantine you can take it upon yourself to learn about emotional intelligence. The more you talk the clearer it is you don’t understand DS and probably don’t care to, and your vendetta probably has nothing to do with weather in the first place. After all, what type of person gets this upset with this little logic over an app that actually works for someone else? It doesn’t add up. Get off the internet and take a moment to feel your feelings.

Says the guy that just wrote a book in response to someone disagreeing with them on the internet, lol. Google that 'wx' abbreviation in my username and get back to me.

If Dark Sky works for you, great. At the end of the day, though, it is at best an average weather app. Like everyone else, I'm curious to see what Apple has in store for it.

 

[ignatius345]

I hope this doesn’t mean that Apple will get rid of the design of the stock weather app. I have yet to find another app that provides the weather data I need but in a simple, clean, non-complicated design.

All the other weather apps are just a hot garbage mess of complications and ads (depending on what app) that make things too cluttered and complicated.

Agreed. I wouldn’t mind the option for more data, but only if it’s not overly complicated.

 

[mw360]

Been wanting this app for a long time.

Hopefully now it comes to Canada

More likely it will disappear for everyone, and some time later Apple will tout ‘improved weather forecasts from Siri’.

 

[n-evo]

“Our goal has always been to provide the world with the best weather information possible”

I just learned the Netherlands must be on a different planet because the app isn’t available in the Dutch App Store.

 

[iOS Geek]

Weather Underground was once a truly great app, but suffered a slow painful death at the hand of the Weather Channel. I hope Apple will be a better keeper of Dark Sky.

Don't even get me started on that one! I miss the Weather Underground version of "Storm". The Weather Channel one just doesn't do it for me.

 

[edgonzalez32]

Ffs. For once I would love to see an app/service I used to not get swooped up by Apple, Google, FB or Amazon.
[automerge]1585685230[/automerge]

Ha ha ha. We want to help as many people as we can. Just not Android (any more) $$$$

I use it. It’s meh. It used to be better than meh. For some reason it’s now rather flaky. It’s part of my “which 3 apps agree” apps.

Stop with that Android mentality jfc.

 

[Lucifer666]

Well, they do now quality when they see it.

 

[JohnApples]

Well maybe we’ll finally get an iPad weather app.

The iPad was not built to be your personal weather station! In fact, the iPad is focused on doing so much that I doubt it can even handle retrieving weather data. This is extra true for the iPad Pro. How can you truly be a computer replacement if you’re busy displaying the forecast? If you want to know the weather that badly, simply buy an iPhone. The resources Apple saves by not making a weather app probably goes into the iPad calculator app... wait a minute...

 

[TheDailyApple]

More likely it will disappear for everyone, and some time later Apple will tout ‘improved weather forecasts from Siri’.

I really hope not! 😬

Thankfully Apple’s pattern has been to either adopt the app (Workflow->Shortcuts) or to let the app stay put while using its features elsewhere (Shazam).

 

[B4U]

So if I pay for the app now, does that mean Apple is going to take 30% cut of its own?
Like left hand paying right hand?

 

[now i see it]

now they want to control the weather. What's next? The gravitational constant of the universe?

 

[4_D]

Oh great. I love this app, I hope it just doesn't get swallowed up never to be heard of again.

 

[lec0rsaire]

Many of you may not like Dark Sky but ever since I bought it 3 years ago I’ve almost never been caught by surprise by rain again. Sometimes it’s off by 5-15 minutes but the forecast is good enough.

I think it’s a good move because the stock weather app is really outdated. It was great for 2007 but not for 2020. I only use the stock app to quickly look at weather conditions around the world.

 

[venom600]

Dark Sky is the best weather app I've ever seen. I am so glad that if anyone bought them, it was Apple.

 

[Lucifer666]

I don't think Apple will screw this up. If it does disappear while they integrate it, we will need to complain, and i'm pretty sure since we paid for it, we should be good.

 

[1144557]

Weather Forecast and Weather Forecast Accuracy for Your City

5-day weather forecasts for the United States in a nice, easy to read format, AND the 1- to 3-day out accuracy of other weather forecasters (Accuweather, The Weather Channel, MyForecast.com, Intellicast, and the National Weather Service) including links to their forecasts.

www.forecastadvisor.com

You can go to this site and enter your zip code to compare the accuracy of the various weather providers. For my zip in California Dark Sky does not do so well. Might be better where you live.

View attachment 902561

That's what Ive always done. TWC and WU are owned by the same company so really the same thing. It's always the most accurate in my area as well.

Dark sky is always a few % behind

 

[budselectjr]

Smart. Can see the potential of feeding the current barometer reading from every iPhone and watch into the forecast data if they make this is built in iOS service.

 

[iBug2]

This is my favorite weather app. Please Apple do not discontinue the app.

 

[CarlJ]

Apple has acquired weather app Dark Sky, Dark Sky's developers announced today. Dark Sky is one of the most popular weather apps on the App Store, known for its accuracy and storm warnings.
...
Dark Sky says its API service for existing customers is not changing, but new signups will no longer be accepted. The API will work through the end of 2021, but after that time, developers will need to find another solution. The end of Dark Sky's API will impact other popular weather apps like Carrot, which uses the Dark Sky API.

Dammit, Apple! I use data from Dark Sky's API for my own personal weather station at home (5 Raspberry Pi's, an Arduino with a custom shield, and 15k lines of Python). I've got a bunch of code for interpreting their results, and a database full of historical readings. Yeah, I can switch to one of the other services, but it'll be a pain, and the new data won't match the historical data (since they'll be pulling from and weighting different sensors in different ways).

 

[BigMcGuire]

Dammit, Apple! I use data from Dark Sky's API for my own personal weather station at home (5 Raspberry Pi's, an Arduino with a custom shield, and 15k lines of Python). I've got a bunch of code for interpreting their results, and a database full of historical readings. Yeah, I can switch to one of the other services, but it'll be a pain, and the new data won't match the historical data (since they'll be pulling from and weighting different sensors in different ways).

Just me or does it seem like a war was declared on those who had personal weather stations over the last 5 years?

 

[whsbuss]

Don't even get me started on that one! I miss the Weather Underground version of "Storm". The Weather Channel one just doesn't do it for me.

Actually I really miss the former Weather Underground. Their last remake killed it.