Dark Sky API rebranded as WeatherKit with support for Android

In 2020, Apple acquired the popular weather forecasting app Dark Sky. Subsequently, the Android version of the app was shut down and Apple integrated a ton of Dark Sky’s elements into its native Weather app. However, not all hope is lost for Android users. Dark Sky’s API has been rebranded as WeatherKit, and it features support for third parties.

Android apps using the WeatherKit API could arrive this year

WeatherKit is a new API that will replace the Dark Sky API that will become unavailable by 2023. Apple made the announcement during the introduction of a native Weather app for iPads with iPadOS 16.

WeatherKit, together with the all-new Apple Weather service, provides apps and services with a wide range of valuable weather data that can help people stay up to date, safe, and prepared.

The exciting news here is that WeatherKit is not just an API for iOS apps, it can also be used by web and Android apps as it will support third parties. So, developers can use the API to add Apple-sourced information into Android apps – allowing some version of Dark Sky to live on for Android. Here is the data developers will have access to via WeatherKit:

current weather conditions and 10-day hourly forecasts for temperature, precipitation, wind, UV Index, and more. Minute-by-minute precipitation for the next hour and severe weather alerts are available for select regions.

Note that WeatherKit requires iOS 16, iPadOS 16, macOS 13, tvOS 16, or watchOS 9 so apps integrated with the API will likely arrive by the end of the year.

iOS 16, iPadOS 16, watchOS 9, and macOS Ventura will be released to the general public in the fall alongside the iPhone 14 lineup. The first developer betas of the software updates have been released for developers and a public beta will become available in July.

Android apps using the WeatherKit API could arrive this year

Asma Hussain