Apple Acquires Weather App Dark Sky

The Android app and the company API are ending, though

By
Rob LeFebvre
Rob LeFebvre
Rob LeFebvre
Associate Editorial Director, News
  • UCLA
  • California State University, Northridge
Rob LeFebvre is the Senior News Editor for Lifewire. He has been a technology writer for more than 12 years with articles appearing in 148Apps, Cult of Mac, Engadget, and more.
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Published on March 31, 2020 02:33PM EDT

Apps changing hands is common but Apple's priority is their own platform, meaning Dark Sky's fans on Android, and those that use their API, will need to find an alternative, and fast.

Dark Sky on iPhone

Apple has just purchased Dark Sky from the weather app's developer, in what is apparently the first weather acquisition from the tech giant. Dark Sky's developer announced the deal in a blog post to help customers know what's next.

What's next? The current iOS app will not change for now and will still be available for purchase in the App Store. Unfortunately, you won't be able to download the Android (or Wear OS) version of the app, starting now. Service to existing users will continue through July 1, 2020, after which the app will stop working. Any subscribers at the time will get a refund.

What about their famous API? The web app and API systems will continue to work past July 1st to support API and iOS app users, but weather forecasts, maps, and embeds will only work until then. The API itself won't accept new signups, but "will continue to function through the end of 2021."

The bottom line: If you use the API to power any smart home features, like some of our own staff do, it's probably time to start looking for a new service. If you're an Android or Wear OS user, you might want to check out the competition at this point, too.

Via: MacRumors

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