Well, Android friends, it’s time to say a final goodbye to Dark Sky.
After Apple acquired Dark Sky back in March, it dropped the not-so-nice news that the Android and WearOS apps would be kaput starting July 1. Then, when that date rolled around, Dark Sky co-founder Adam Grossman announced that the final death knell had been postponed a month to August 1. Well, August 1 has come and gone and it looks like no other stay of execution has been granted.
On Twitter, Dark Sky Android users have been sharing their laments and screencaps of the now-defunct app, which now shows a sea of 0-degree temperature forecasts and an annoying orange bubble declaring “The Dark Sky app has shut down.” Some have also been telling Apple where they think the Cupertino-based company can shove it for killing their favorite weather app.
Android and Wear OS users should be receiving a full refund for their $3 annual subscriptions, the app developers said in a blog on Saturday. In the past, Dark Sky has said its API will remain available through the end of 2021, but that no new signups were being accepted.
Some rival weather apps didn’t bother waiting for Dark Sky’s body to get cold before courting disgruntled Dark Sky Android users. AccuWeather—a thirsty weather app—began a new beta of its app right around the time Apple announced it had bought Dark Sky and launched the redesigned UI in late July. The redesign was much needed, and AccuWeather’s MinuteCast is pretty helpful—though it’s not quite a 1-to-1 substitute for the hyperlocal weather Dark Sky was known for.
There is, however, one bit of bright news. It seems that forecasts and maps on the Dark Sky website, which was also slated to shut down, will remain active for an unspecified period of time. So if you really can’t kick that Dark Sky habit, Android stans can at least get your hyperlocal forecasts via the website until you find an adequate replacement.