Apple is moving forward with plans to shut down the Dark Sky weather app by the end of this year. If you open the Dark Sky app today, you’ll see a new pop-up message telling you that “Dark Sky app support” will end on January 1, 2023. This announcement comes a day after the launch of iOS 16, which brought new changes to the native Weather app…
An update before the final closure
Apple previously planned to begin shutting down the Dark Sky app, website, and API at the end of 2021. This change has been delayed until late 2022 as Apple continues to make improvements to the built-in weather app and launch the new WeatherKit API. Apple acquired Dark Sky in March 2020 and has used the technology to deliver a number of upgrades to its built-in Weather app since the release of iOS 15.
Now that WeatherKit is available for developers and iOS 16 is available for everyone, Apple officially notifies users of its intention to shut down Dark Sky. Here is the message that can be read within the Dark Sky app today:
Support for the Dark Sky app will end on January 1, 2023. Dark Sky’s forecast technology is now enhanced and integrated into Apple’s new weather app.
The “More Information” button links directly to the App Store and Apple’s Weather app. Yesterday’s release of iOS 16 included new features for the Weather app:
- Severe Weather Notifications : Receive a notification when a severe weather alert has been issued near you.
- More weather details : Tap any module in the Weather app to reveal a new, more in-depth data set, such as hourly temperature and rainfall over the next 10 days.
Apple also offers its own API WeatherKit to developers, allowing third-party apps to access hyperlocal weather data and protect user data and privacy. Visit the Apple site to learn more about the new WeatherKit API.