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Google Retires Its Wear OS Weather App – What It Means for Your Smartwatch

If you’ve been relying on Google’s official Weather app for Wear OS, there’s some important news: Google has quietly pulled the app from the Play Store. That means no new installs are possible, though anyone who already has it on their watch can keep using it—for now.

A Short History of Google’s Weather on the Wrist

Launched alongside Wear OS 3 in 2021, Google’s Weather app was a simple but effective tool. It delivered exactly what you’d expect on a smartwatch screen:

  • Current temperature
  • Daily high and low
  • UV index
  • Forecasts for the next 8 hours and 5 days
  • Plus handy Tiles for daily forecasts, sun position, and UV index

It wasn’t flashy, but it got the job done—and for many Wear OS fans, it became the default way to check the weather.

The Pixel Weather App Takes Over

Instead of maintaining a universal app for all Wear OS devices, Google is now following the OEM model. Just like Samsung provides its own weather app for Galaxy Watches, Google will reserve Pixel Weather for Pixel Watches only.

The Pixel Weather app looks and feels very familiar but comes with a fresh Material You / Material 3 design. It offers essentially the same features and Tiles as the old app but with a more modern aesthetic. Over time, the original Wear OS Weather app will auto-upgrade to Pixel Weather—but only on Pixel Watches.

Why This Matters for Non-Pixel Watch Owners

Here’s the catch: if you’re using a non-Pixel smartwatch, you won’t be able to install Google’s Weather app anymore. Google has decided that each watchmaker should ship its own solution instead. That means:

  • Samsung users will keep Samsung’s weather app.
  • Pixel Watch owners will get Pixel Weather.
  • Other Wear OS users will have to rely on the app provided by their watchmaker—or third-party apps from the Play Store.

Final Thoughts

Google’s decision makes Wear OS feel more fragmented. What was once a consistent experience across all devices is now split between OEMs. For many smartwatch owners, this may not be a big deal—especially if your watch already has a solid built-in weather solution. But if you liked Google’s minimalist take on weather, it’s a loss.

👉 Side note: If you still want weather at a glance, many of our Celest watch faces support weather complications—so you can keep the forecast right on your main watch screen, no extra app required.

At CELEST Watches, we’ll be keeping an eye on how this change impacts Wear OS users. For now, it’s a good reminder that the Wear OS ecosystem is evolving quickly—and the apps on your wrist today may not be the same tomorrow.




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