Google is quietly killing Android's weather app experience

Google is taking away the simple and straightforward way to check weather updates on Android phones and tablets. The Google Weather shortcut, which functioned like a lightweight, standalone app but was actually part of the Google Search app, is being phased out in favor of a new web-only experience.

Google started redirecting users to a new Google Search weather interface back in November as part of an A/B test. But 9to5Google reports that the Mountain View giant appears to have flipped the switch on a wider rollout, effectively marking an end to the simple, no-frills weather experience Android users have relied on for years for checking the weather.

Tapping the Weather shortcut from the homescreen now takes users to a Google Search weather results page, which displays forecast data with a familiar Froggy background card, complete with an AI weather summary, standard 10-day forecast carousel, and drop-down menus for air quality, humidity, wind, and precipitation. 

While the web-based interface still provides the same weather info and updates, the experience is no longer a self-contained full-screen view. Instead, it behaves like a standard web results page, with additional links and search content appearing as you scroll. It feels like a noticeable regression and a step backward in terms of overall user experience, especially considering Google still doesn’t offer a native weather app for Android devices, though the company does offer an exclusive Weather app on Pixel phones.

The change hasn't hit everyone just yet, with many devices on the latest Search beta still offering the standard app view—but the writing is on the wall. If Google is dead set on killing its best weather interface, now would be the perfect time to stop gatekeeping and make the slick Pixel Weather app available for all Android phones.