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Twelve years after its debut, Apple finally transferred the Weather app to the iPad. Of course, it has stiff competition, but the company will also work with developers by launching WeatherKit.
The original iPhone was included again during its launch, powered by Yahoo and then The Weather Channel until 2021.
Apple acquired a popular Dark Sky weather application in 2020. Dark Sky was known for its accuracy, which provided hyper-local, hyper-accurate results. Users can report the weather in their location, and Apple has retained that feature in the new Weather app.
A year after acquiring and re-launching its app, the new first-party Weather app was launched in iOS 15. At the time, the company announced it would reject the Dark Sky API, forcing developers to find alternatives. But now Apple has introduced WeatherKit.
Weather Kit
WeatherKit can be used in applications for all Apple operating systems that use a platform-specific Swift API. Other platforms may use a REST API.
It’s powered by the new Apple Weather service, a global weather forecasting system that can provide apps with 10-day hourly forecasts for temperature, precipitation, wind, UV index, and more.
Apple says privacy is built into the system. For example, WeatherKit uses location data for weather forecasts only and is not associated with personally identifiable information.
Logo for WeatherKit
Whether developers will use Apple’s system remains to be seen, but it will presumably be free, making it an attractive offer.
However, Apple still relies on third-party sources of weather data. For example, it cites sources such as The Weather Channel, Breezometer, National Weather Service, and others.
The next hour’s precipitation data is provided by Apple using data from national weather services. Apple also provides certain parts of temperature and precipitation maps.
Best Weather Applications for Apple Devices
Some of these entities provide their own weather applications, and these are some of the best applications for iPhone and iPad. Each of these applications has its own “hook”, a selling point to differentiate itself from competitors. Characteristics are generally the same, so it largely comes down to data accuracy and uniqueness.
Breezometer
Breezometer is the best application for air pollution, pollen and active fires that affect health. It provides air quality data to Apple Weather, but not all of its application features, such as fire detection, are shared.
It is essential for people living in areas prone to veld fires and people with allergies. The company uses machine learning and artificial intelligence to provide real-time, street-level air quality data.
ROOT Weather
CARROT Weather is known for its sharp personality, offering professional and curse-laden predictions.
Breezometer
The app offers fun ways to communicate with it, offers more than 100 secret locations, more than 60 achievements, and allows users to film TV-style weather reports. ROOT is free with in-app purchases.
El Canal del Clima
The Weather Company, the parent of The Weather Channel, remains one of the leading sources of weather for developers and users. Features include live Doppler radar maps, storm watches and hurricane trackers to warn users of heavy rain, heat waves, incoming floods, and more.
The Weather Channel provides 10-day forecasts and severe weather warnings to Apple Weather, as well as some temperature and precipitation charts. The Weather Channel is free with in-app purchases.
NOAA Weather
The U.S. government does not directly provide an application for the National Weather Service, but there is an application from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
NOAA Weather
NOAA Weather provides standard weather features such as radar charts, 7-day and 24-hour forecasts and hourly forecasts. His hook is the exclusive sun and moon information of sunrise, sunset, moonrise and sunset. NOAA says this data could be useful for anglers and hunters.
NOAA is also the best weather data source for those who cross the sea. NOAA Weather is free with in-app purchases.