Google is retiring its old-as-dirt Weather app on watches running Wear OS 6 and up — but while it’s shutting off new Play Store downloads of the app for those devices, it’ll keep on rattling along for users who already have it. The newer Pixel Weather app will carry on for Pixel Watch owners, while third-party Wear OS watches are likely to rely on brand-built or third-party alternatives.
What’s changing on Wear OS 6
According to a community posting from Google, the old Wear OS Weather app is going bye-bye for new installs on Wear OS 6 (Android 16). If you have the app on your watch before upgrading, it will be there and it will continue to work, including its complications. But fresh installs won’t be permitted via the Play Store listing on devices that ship with Wear OS 6 already in place.
There’s no impact to watches using Wear OS 5 and earlier. Those devices can continue to discover and download Google’s existing Weather app, and read the current weather information from their home screen as they have delightfully done for years without any tiles changing today.”
Pixel Watch looking at different outlook
Wear OS 6 models of the Pixel Watch will automatically highlight the Pixel Weather app. The interface remains the same as that of the departed app, but now also follows Google’s Material 3 Expressive design language with brand new bolder colors, clearer typography and glanceable cards. And because it’s a first-party experience, anticipate tighter integration with system tiles and watch face complications, and dovetailing of the Pixel phone weather experience.
What it means for Samsung, OnePlus and others
On non-Pixel watches upgrading to Wear OS 6—think recent models from Samsung, OnePlus, and Mobvoi—you won’t be able to install the Google Weather app at all. Many of these brands already ship their own weather clients, a la Galaxy Watches that pair naturally with Samsung Weather and corresponding complications. You can also select from well-known third-party offerings with Wear OS tiles and complications.
If you depend on the Google Weather complication today, it will continue to work post-upgrade as long as the app continues to stay installed on your watch. But if you reset or uninstall it on Wear OS 6, you cannot reinstall. That’s worth a migration to a brand app, or even one from a vendor you trust, before going through big motions.
Why Google is doing this
Google’s logic is simple: many OEMs include their own weather apps, so the built-in option duplicate functionality on a lot of handsets. On the other hand keeping separate code paths for multiple tiles, complications and data providers across a growing ecosystem is overhead and offers marginal benefits to users. By condensing, Google can concentrate on creating a remarkable weather experience for Pixel as a flagship feature and still offer room for brands to distinguish themselves in other ways.
The change is also in line with a general trend on Wear OS to focus on tightening up system features as the platform has matured. Counterpoint Research analysts said that adoption of Wear OS accelerated once strategic partners returned to the platform, and OEM-led software touches—such as watch faces, tiles, and core apps—are part of how brands are beginning to differentiate without splintering the underlying operating system.
Practical advice before upgrading
If you want to preserve Google’s Weather on a watch that will be updated to Wear OS 6, do not delete it and maybe hold off doing a factory reset for now. Before you upgrade, make a backup plan: Find a replacement tile and complication from your watch brand or use a third-party equivalent such as AccuWeather, Today Weather or CARROT Weather. Check permissions carefully; data sources and privacy policies differ by provider.
After switching to a weather provider, your watch face layout is rebuilt and might take a few minutes. Make sure the app you pick supports the complication shapes and sizes your face requires, as well as update frequency — for example it needs to be regular if you want timely temperature and precipitation alerts.
Voice still has the basics
Even with the legacy app gone, voice is still a quick default. On devices with Wear OS 3 and above, you can inquire of Gemini or Google Assistant for current conditions and forecasts. It’s quick for checking things, but it doesn’t replace a persistent tile or an always-on complication.
Developer and ecosystem notes
Developers might feel the change push even more demand towards high-quality weather tiles and complication data sources that adopt the most current Wear OS guidelines and Material design updates. Google’s own documentation on tiles, notifications and complications APIs for Wear OS 6 prioritizes efficiency and glanceability — both important features for apps that aspire to be the default forecast on users’ wrists.
The bottom line
Google is pulling the plug on its generic Weather app for Wear OS 6, and it’s keeping this only where you can already download it from; Pixel Watches will use the newer Pixel Weather. For everyone else, there are brand apps and third-party alternatives to fill the void. This move cuts down on duplication, squashes maintenance and allows for OEMs to contribute more on top — without leaving users high or dry.