Smartwatches powered by Wear OS 6 or later will be losing the current Weather app developed by Google. The app will be replaced automatically by a new Pixel Weather app. Google has been encouraging affected watch owners to use the weather app installed on their watch by the manufacturer of their timepiece. Another option suggested by Google is to install a third-party weather app from the Play Store for Wear OS. If you have a watch running Wear OS 5 or older, nothing changes, as you'll still be allowed to download the older Weather app from Google on your watch.
If you have Google's Weather app on your Samsung, OnePlus, or Mobvoi smartwatch and then update to Wear OS 6, you also will get to keep the older Google Weather app even after downloading the new Wear OS update.
What will happen if you have a Pixel Watch?
If you have a Pixel Watch running Wear OS 6 or newer, the Google Weather app will be automatically replaced with the new Pixel Weather app. Pixel Weather will use the Material 3 Expressive design, and the UI is designed to give users information about the weather at a glance. Another option that Wear OS users have is to ask Gemini or Google Assistant for the latest weather conditions and forecast.
The Pixel smartphone was also the recipient of a change in weather apps last year. Before Google released a dedicated weather app for the Pixel line with the Pixel 9 series in 2024, users had to use the weather feature found inside the Google Search app and the "At a Glance" widget. Last October, Google allowed Pixel 6, Pixel 7, and Pixel 8 series models to install the new dedicated Pixel Weather app witha Pixel Feature Drop update.
A much more informative app that delivers to Pixel users all of the weather information they could want or need, the Pixel Weather app replaced the older Google Weather tool that was known for its starring character, a cartoon frog that fans called "Froggy." If you want to install the Pixel Weather app on your Pixel phone, tap on this link.
The reason Google is replacing the weather app on Pixel Watch models makes sense
Google is replacing the weather app on Pixel Watch models running Wear OS 6 or higher because it wants Pixel device owners to enjoy a unified experience. The new Pixel Weather app for the Pixel Watch allows users to have a weather app that is tailor-made for the timepiece and Pixel users. Google says,"If you have a Pixel Watch on Wear OS 6 or newer, your watch will automatically come with (or be upgraded to) the new Pixel Weather app. You don't need to do anything."
Screenshot of the Pixel Weather app for Pixel phones. | Image credit-PhoneArena
No one wants a weather app that drains their watch battery. The Pixel Weather app is reportedly optimized and will be up to 10% more energy efficient than the previous weather app for Wear OS. And as we noted, with Gemini on board, users can skip browsing through the app by asking the AI chatbot whether they will need to bring an umbrella with them when they go out. Another good question to ask Gemini is whether a jacket is required when you leave the house.
Google gives older watch users a taste of the new Pixel Weather app
As is typical of Google, it isn't forgetting about users of its older devices. The new Weather tiles for Pixel Weather will be available for timepieces running no older than Wear OS 3. So if you have an older watch, you can still get a taste of the new Material 3 Expressive Pixel Weather app even if you can't install the app itself on your watch.
Do you miss "Froggy?"
Yes. Froggy was the best part of the Google Weather UI.
75%
No. I'd rather have a serious weather app on my devices.
0%
I really don't care about weather apps.
25%
Google unveiled the Pixel Watch 4 on August 20th, and it will be released on October 9th. The 41mm model will be available with Wi-Fi/Bluetooth connectivity for $349.99 and $449.99 for Cellular/LTE. The 44mm variants of the watch will cost $50 more ($399.99 and $499.99 for Wi-Fi/Bluetooth and Cellular/LTE, respectively.
"Iconic Phones" is coming this Fall!
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Alan, an ardent smartphone enthusiast and a veteran writer at PhoneArena since 2009, has witnessed and chronicled the transformative years of mobile technology. Owning iconic phones from the original iPhone to the iPhone 15 Pro Max, he has seen smartphones evolve into a global phenomenon. Beyond smartphones, Alan has covered the emergence of tablets, smartwatches, and smart speakers.
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