In wake of Apple acquisition, Dark Sky ends Android support | Hacker News Reader

In wake of Apple acquisition, Dark Sky ends Android support

arstechnica.com

30 pointsthg21 comments

> The Dark Sky Android app is not the only popular service on the chopping block as a result of the acquisition. Several app developers on both iOS and Android have used Dark Sky's API for weather data for a while now, but like Android support, that's going away. There's a little more time in that case, though: developers have until the end of next year to find and implement alternative data sources.

Nope, Apple isn't behaving as a monopoly here, not at all.

What are they monopolizing?

Buying a generic service and closing it down in a way that it's inaccessible outside of their walled garden sure sounds anticompetitive to me.

Then you are correct in your original comment: that isn’t “acting like a monopoly”. There might be a different term for it, but “monopoly” ain’t it.

You can play your word games, but this is how the FTC describes [1] it.

> Judging the conduct of an alleged monopolist requires an in-depth analysis of the market and the means used to achieve or maintain the monopoly. Obtaining a monopoly by superior products, innovation, or business acumen is legal; however, the same result achieved by exclusionary or predatory acts may raise antitrust concerns.

https://www.ftc.gov/tips-advice/competition-guidance/guide-a...

Apple is one of the most dominant tech firms in the world, leveraging their wealth to buy companies and then shut out their competitors from the service is pretty much the quintessential example of an anti-compettive behavior, especially because of the very clear consumer harm produced by shutting out all those existing users. Having a monopoly is not illegal and not the issue, anti-competitive behavior resulting in clear consumer harm is.

Does the company tou work for provide support etc for their biggest competitor? This has nothing to do with monopoly but simple with how business works. Besides that, android still has a bigger market share so no

Anyone know of a good replacement?

Accuweather isn't too bad.

Accuweather is also rather anti-open data, which is concerning. It's also been actively hostile towards the National Weather Service and increasingly becoming a media company rather than a weather agency.

What is also concerning is that the CEO of Accuweather, Barry Myers, was appointed the head of NOAA, the government agency responsible for providing weather information. To remove the conflict of interest, Myers stepped down and appointed his brother as the new CEO of Accuweather. A pretty clear case of regulatory capture if you ask me.

1weather is decent.

The NWS has an API

First I foolishly gave the "Weather Channel" app a try. Don't know what I was thinking there, ruled it out after a day. I am now using Climacell. I like it so far, though it is noticeably slowly than dark sky.

Probably going to try out all the other apps in this thread, so thanks for asking.

Don’t know if they have an Android app, but ClimaCell seems decent and they have a good API.

What about iOS support? The closest to dark sky that pops up on App Store is “dark skies” for taking photos of the night sky :/

Here’s the iOS app:

https://apps.apple.com/us/app/dark-sky-weather/id517329357

“Not available in your country” - well, that explains why I’m not seeing it when searching in the App Store.

Hope they get the features rolled out globally soon!

Android developers should rejoice. A fully vetted and financially successful app is now available to create.

It was always coming

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