As weather gets harder to predict, which iPhone weather app is best?
Ask people which app they use most frequently on their phones, and they’re likely to pick one of five types: a messaging app , a maps app , a web browser, a clock app, or a weather app. If they go with a weather app, it could be one of many. In fact, there are so many weather forecasting apps available for the iPhone—hundreds of them—that Apple’s App Store gives them their own category, something…
Smartphone users typically gravitate towards five main types of applications: messaging, maps, web browsing, clock, and weather. However, the abundance of weather forecasting applications available for iOS devices is staggering, with Apple's App Store dedicated solely to this category. Unlike clock applications, which are scarce, weather apps abound, including those from established corporations such as Apple, CNN, The Weather Channel, and Yahoo.
Apple's native Weather application is often the first weather tool users encounter upon purchasing a new iPhone. Known for its polished design, the Weather app offers a clean, user-friendly interface displaying critical weather data such as hourly forecasts, 10-day predictions, air quality indexes, wind speeds, UV indices, and even lunar phases. Impressively, the app's saved locations sync seamlessly across all Apple devices, including iPhones, iPads, Macs, and Apple Watches.
CNN's debut into the weather app market took place in May, when they launched their own weather application, CNN Weather. This app stands out for its streamlined design, presenting users with minimalistic black text on a white background and straightforward weather charts. Additionally, CNN Weather offers live video coverage during severe weather events from meteorologists, providing real-time on-the-ground updates without requiring viewers to switch to television news.
The Weather Channel, synonymous with meteorological reporting, has maintained a strong presence since 2008 with its iPhone weather application. The app features a "This Week" widget showing previous forecasts and allows users to estimate weather conditions for various activities like running or gardening. However, the Weather Channel app's user experience is marred by excessive advertisements, pop-ups, and subscription prompts, which may discourage some users from utilizing the app effectively.
Yahoo's weather application has been serving users since the early 2010s, but it underwent a significant redesign in recent months. The updated Yahoo Weather app boasts a clean, straightforward interface with easy access to hourly forecasts, nine-day predictions, precipitation maps, and weather-related widgets such as wind speed, humidity, UV index, and moon phases. A standout feature is the pollen widget, enabling users to track current pollen levels for different plant types.
Comparing the big players, Apple's native Weather app remains the top choice for most users due to its ad-free experience, beautiful design, and comprehensive data. For those seeking alternatives within the Apple ecosystem, Yahoo Weather presents a solid contender with its simple design and additional widgets. CNN Weather and The Weather Channel offer unique features, such as live video coverage and activity-specific forecasts, appealing to users who appreciate multiple ways of consuming weather information.
Written by urgent.news from Fast Company's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
