PSA for the Dark Sky app fans.

[imwjl]

New OS and phone season has some grumbling coming my way on Dark Sky app being retired. I know how popular it is with outdoor sports people but others I know have been upset. Keep these things in mind.

The core important hyper local weather parts are still in the default Apple weather app. The default app uses IBM (Weather Channel) for long range forecasts, their own Dark Sky data for the hyper local, and two other firms for data visualization. The sites like forecastadvisor.com show the IBM long range forecast to be among the best.

What I think people are missing is the long press option in the default app to get you more information or scrolling to more data. Long press on a current day pops up your Dark Sky style and data.

If you configure the Lock Screen widgets you can have some of the data people have valued in Dark Sky more convenient than ever. If you get a new phone it is always there if you use the always on lock screen feature. A related trick for weather data junkies is you can "stack" widgets so your favorite weather data from different apps is in a live display you can scroll through.

Confession: I still like the Dark Sky interface for the hyperlocal weather info. If something kills me 1/1/2023 It will probably not be the death of Dark Sky.

[raysachs]

I’ve been using Dark Sky for about as long as it’s been around - don’t even know when that was. I like it primarily for its speed and interface. I seem to be able to get any information I want faster and more intuitively on that app than anything else. I didn’t know Apple had bought it until I heard they were about to kill it.

I’ve been trying out the default Apple app and the Weather Bug app to replace it. Weather Bug has pretty much all of the info Dark Sky does in an almost as handy interface. I don’t know if it’s forecasts are as good. The default Apple app doesn’t - I tried what you said about a long press, but nothing happened, so I’m not likely to use that app much. I’ll get over this too, but I am slightly bummed about it. Apple should have just slapped its logo on Dark Sky and otherwise left it alone… IMHO.

-Ray

[imwjl]

Originally Posted by raysachs

I’ve been using Dark Sky for about as long as it’s been around - don’t even know when that was. I like it primarily for its speed and interface. I seem to be able to get any information I want faster and more intuitively on that app than anything else. I didn’t know Apple had bought it until I heard they were about to kill it.

I’ve been trying out the default Apple app and the Weather Bug app to replace it. Weather Bug has pretty much all of the info Dark Sky does in an almost as handy interface. I don’t know if it’s forecasts are as good. The default Apple app doesn’t - I tried what you said about a long press, but nothing happened, so I’m not likely to use that app much. I’ll get over this too, but I am slightly bummed about it. Apple should have just slapped its logo on Dark Sky and otherwise left it alone… IMHO.

-Ray

Is your phone at v 16.x? If so, try a long press and let up. The other screen initiates when you let up and not a long press pop-up menu.

The forecastadvisor.com site measures different services. Knowing Weather Bug's data sources with that could be important. Dark Sky longer term accuracy has never been tops so I believe that is why they combine the different data sources.

I'm not saying I'm in love with the new version as much as good data in it.

[raysachs]

Originally Posted by imwjl

Is your phone at v 16.x? If so, try a long press and let up. The other screen initiates when you let up and not a long press pop-up menu.

The forecastadvisor.com site measures different services. Knowing Weather Bug's data sources with that could be important. Dark Sky longer term accuracy has never been tops so I believe that is why they combine the different data sources.

I'm not saying I'm in love with the new version as much as good data in it.

No, it’s still 15 something, but I’m gonna upgrade it soon. I have a 13 Pro Max, not one of the new 14’s. But I’ll try it after I upgrade.

Thanks,

-Ray

[imwjl]

Originally Posted by raysachs

No, it’s still 15 something, but I’m gonna upgrade it soon. I have a 13 Pro Max, not one of the new 14’s. But I’ll try it after I upgrade.

Thanks,

-Ray

Ah, that's it. It's at 16.02 now. The "paste bug" that is cosmetic can show for 3rd party keyboards but otherwise I can only think of reasons to upgrade your late model phone.

[FrankHudson]

Two things I use a weather app for:

I'm considering, planning something tomorrow. What's going to be the temperature range and percip likelihood?

I'm about to head out on my bicycle or making some choice about heading home or riding more. Thunderstorm chances and when? Heavy rain likely? You'd also think I'd care about snow during winter rides, but not really.

In both cases, being able to get the info quickly in an interface I can read with my not-so-good eyes is also important. Ads will bug me too.

Dark Sky isn't anything special for #1. Other apps do this better.

Dark Sky does #2 better than anything I've seen. The only thing it's bad at in this regard is how it displays radar view, with a nutty choice to dedicate 3/4 of its animation to the recent past and too little to the immediate future.

My phone is still able to get the latest IOS, I'll upgrade soon, and we'll see how the new Apple IOS weather app fits my use.

As long as we want to wonder at Apple avoiding the oblivious, it's crazy that the iPad (which due to vision issues I use more than my phone) doesn't have an Apple weather app, while the phone does. I hear iPadOS 16 will finally remedy this puzzler. Hope so, as I use Dark Sky on the iPad now.

[imwjl]

Originally Posted by FrankHudson

Two things I use a weather app for:

I'm considering, planning something tomorrow. What's going to be the temperature range and percip likelihood?

I'm about to head out on my bicycle or making some choice about heading home or riding more. Thunderstorm chances and when? Heavy rain likely? You'd also think I'd care about snow during winter rides, but not really.

In both cases, being able to get the info quickly in an interface I can read with my not-so-good eyes is also important. Ads will bug me too.

Dark Sky isn't anything special for #1. Other apps do this better.

Dark Sky does #2 better than anything I've seen. The only thing it's bad at in this regard is how it displays radar view, with a nutty choice to dedicate 3/4 of its animation to the recent past and too little to the immediate future.

My phone is still able to get the latest IOS, I'll upgrade soon, and we'll see how the new Apple IOS weather app fits my use.

As long as we want to wonder at Apple avoiding the oblivious, it's crazy that the iPad (which due to vision issues I use more than my phone) doesn't have an Apple weather app, while the phone does. I hear iPadOS 16 will finally remedy this puzzler. Hope so, as I use Dark Sky on the iPad now.

I'm with you on wanting that instant display Dark Sky is good with. We'll see a 16.x version in coming months that will have some significant changes so maybe a tweak there.

Rumors long ago were no iPad default weather app (and calculator) were opportunities for developers.

FWIW, Ventusky is amazing for visualization but somewhat of a different animal and more complex.

[FrankHudson]

Originally Posted by imwjl

Rumors long ago were no iPad default weather app (and calculator) were opportunities for developers.

.

I heard that one too, and if debatable, it'd sound more plausible if they made sure they were supporting developers with no weather app on the iPhone too (not that I want to give them any ideas). And one could really sell that explanation if there were no free Apple audio, productivity, news, mail, podcast, and books apps on the iPhone and iPad, all of which would suppress more app developers than a weather app.

And of course, buying Dark Sky reduced (by one) an app developer option.

I give up on guessing why. One of those eccentricities that makes Apple, Apple?

[srick]

This from the Macrumours website:

9/23/2022 - In a note on the App Store and a prompt shown to users, the app says that many of Dark Sky's features and capabilities have been integrated into the new Weather app on iOS 16, which was released to the public yesterday.

"Support for the Dark Sky app will be ending on January 1st, 2023. Dark Sky's forecast technology will be integrated into the Apple Weather app with *iOS 16* this fall," the app's *App Store* description says.

Apple purchased Dark Sky in March 2020 and has since integrated many of its features directly into its Weather app on the iPhone, iPad, and Mac. In August of 2020, Apple shut down Dark Sky for Android and at the time said it had no plans to end support for the iOS app.

Last June, Apple updated Dark Sky with new Apple Watch improvements and overall performance and stability enhancements.

Tag

It’s no longer listed in the Apple App Store.

Rick

[imwjl]

Originally Posted by srick

This from the Macrumours website:



It’s no longer listed in the Apple App Store.

Rick

I'm finding this unrelated app but schedule to die more upsetting. I rely on the Swiftkey numerals row and the trust/compliance aspect of it being a Microsoft app vs unknown privacy for other keyboards.

It may well be a small niche, but I know this app has been super popular with people who use phones for sophisticated apps and an alternative to needing your laptop.

https://www.macrumors.com/2022/09/29...ftkey-for-ios/