Google is undertaking a massive transformation of the Wear OS ecosystem. As the company releases the Wear OS 6, the company will no longer provide its first-party Google Weather App Support as a new installation on third-party smartwatches.
This move, as detailed in a community announcement post, is a strategic turnaround of a central pre-installed application and retains the user from other alternatives to find out weather information.
Why the Change?
Google said the deletion is a reaction to the changing smartwatch market. A large number of third-party watch makers already have powerful, purpose-built weather apps installed by default. Due to this, the generic Weather app by Google is now redundant on these devices.
This is not the case with Pixel Watch owners. Google is taking the weather services somewhere and redirecting users of the Pixel Watch to the new Pixel Weather app. This new edition runs on Material 3 Expressive, so that users of Pixel will not lose a fundamental feature.
Who Does This Affect?
This shift mostly affects two groups:
New Wear OS 6 Users: When purchasing a third-party smartwatch running on Wear OS 6, you will not find the Weather application by Google in the Play Store. Rather, you will have to install a third-party solution or use the application developed by the manufacturer.
Users Who Factory Reset: When you reset a Wear OS 6 smartwatch that has had the Google Weather app installed on it, you will not be able to reinstall it through the Play Store.
What Are the Alternatives?
This might not be in line with expectations, but it is not the last of weather apps on Wear OS. Google Play Store already boasts a well-developed ecosystem of highly rated weather applications, many of which feature more than the Google-based application. For example:
Personalized Tiles and Complications: The third-party applications also offer more watch face complications and adjustable tiles to display weather information.
Sophisticated Data: Numerous applications will have radar images, hourly graphs, and precise projections.
Distinct Designs: Apps frequently provide new interfaces going beyond the standard design at Google.
Conclusion
The company announces that Google has discontinued its Weather service on the Wear OS 6 platform, so the company can simplify its software and allow partner companies to dominate in the essential capabilities. Although some might be disappointed by the defeat of a familiar one, this move opens the gate to more feature-rich and variety-based third-party weather applications.
It is indicative of a Google that is changing its approach to Wear OS, where the company is less concerned about offering all of the stock apps and more about creating a platform through which its partners and developers can create.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will the Google weather application vanish from Wear OS watches?
No. It is being phased out on new installations on Wear OS 6 only. It continues to be compatible with Wear OS 5 and below, and with current users with it on Wear OS 6.
What is the reason behind this change by Google?
Due to the number of smartwatch manufacturers who have created their own weather apps, this means that the Google app is no longer needed as the default application.
What about the Pixel Watch? Does it keep its weather application?
Yes. Users of Pixel Watch on Wear OS 6 will receive a new Pixel Weather app that was redesigned with Material 3 Expressive style.
Would I still request the Google Assistant to tell me the weather?
Yes. Google Assistant (or Gemini) continues to work on any Wear OS device to give weather forecasting.
Which app should I replace the Google Weather app with on Wear OS 6?
You can either use the weather application of your smartwatch manufacturer or get a third-party weather application on the Play Store.
Will it have an impact on weather complications on watch faces?
It depends on your watch face. There might be a need to have developer updates to fetch weather information via OEM or third-party applications.
Does Google tend to abandon apps?
Yes. Apps are sometimes discontinued or merged with other apps by Google as a way of simplifying their focus, including Google Play Music and some Assistant capabilities.
Will I be able to reinstall the Weather application by Google after resetting my Wear OS 6 watch?
No. The Google Weather app can no longer be downloaded on Wear OS 6 after a factory reset.
