Google's New Weather App for Pixel 9 Draws Comparisons to Dark Sky

The Pixel 9's new weather app is like Dark Sky for Android - and you can try it right now

As reported by Android Authority, the new and improved Weather app can now be sideloaded from APKMirror. It should work on devices running Android 14 or later, but as this isn't yet the finished version of the app, expect some bugs and crashes - and when it is launched properly, it may end up being exclusive to Pixel phones. If you're new to the idea of sideloading, it simply means installing apps from outside the Google Play Store. You should always do it with caution, and only using apps and sources you can trust - and you always do it at your own risk. To install the app, open the APKMirror link in Chrome on your Android device, go to the download link (ignoring the adverts with "download" on them), then tap through the security warnings to confirm you're happy sideloading the app. You may also be prompted to change Chrome's settings to allow installs from unknown sources. As we've seen from earlier screenshots, the new Weather app manages to stuff plenty of information into a simple interface, designed around Android's Material You guidelines. You get all the basics here, including temperatures and precipitation levels, plus details of wind speed, UV levels, sunset and sunrise times, and visibility. It also looks as though the Weather app will be able to deliver forecasts and warnings about rain straight to your phone, ahead of time - something that will appeal to those of us missing the Dark Sky app after Apple acquired it. As for what's coming, seasoned tipsters AssembleDebug and Dylan Roussel have hinted that AI-powered weather summaries and detailed weather maps are on the way, too. We'd actually be surprised at this point if Google launched something that didn't have artificial intelligence features included.

You can try this leaked Google Pixel 9 app early -- here's how

The Pixel 9's new weather app can be unofficially downloaded early onto devices running Android 14. Android Authority originally shared how to sideload the new Weather app through APKmirror. Users can download and install the APK file onto their Android 14 devices, but it should be noted that this is an unfinished version of the app with a few bugs. For instance, if your device is crashing you might need to clear your phone's cache to solve the issue. Originally the new weather app would be found bundled with in the clock app. But that is no longer the case as downloading the current version of the APK will create a dedicated app, making checking the weather much more streamlined. The new app features an updated UI, with rounded elements for all the information, but otherwise features the same details as Google's old weather widgets. Users will not need to sign into their Google account to use the new app, but signing in does sync saved locations across devices. The new Weather app seems pretty straightforward right now, but it could soon get smarter. A recent report from 9to5 Google also revealed that the Weather app may soon offer notifications for rain and weather forecasts, while Dylan Roussel posted on X that the app could be getting a weather map and potential AI weather summaries. There is no doubt that the Google Pixel 9 series has seen plenty of leaks before its suspected release in the next week. For instance, it was recently revealed that it will be possible to upgrade the storage on the phone at no extra cost when preordering. There are also indications that the Pixel 9 will allow users to record and transcribe phone calls. However, there are some troubling rumors about how little of an upgrade the Tensor G4 chip will be compared to the Tensor G3. The possibility of trying new apps is always interesting, but it is important to note that these are rarely finished versions of the final app. This means they come with several bugs and issues that the finished product (hopefully) won't have. As such, for the best experience, it is better to wait for the official release.