These are the Best Weather Apps and Widgets for Android: Today Weather, AccuWeather, and more!

As smartphones have become ubiquitous, weather apps have taken the place of weather forecasters. Sure you can still find forecasts on TV news, but weather apps are like having a meteorologist in your own hand. There are a lot of weather apps and widgets available for Android, but not all of them are that good. So we’ve selected the best weather apps and widgets you can download right now on your new Android phone or tablet.

Weawow Weather

Weawow Weather is a beautiful weather app that’s free of advertisements. It provides detailed weather forecasts for up to 10 days. You’ll also find details about temperatures, probability of rain, humidity, dew point, air quality, wind speed, UV index, and a lot more. The app covers worldwide locations, and has seven weather data providers, including MET Norway, Weatherbit, Open Weather Map, AccuWeather, and Foreca. The last two are limited to the people who have donated to the app.

You can set up weather alerts and notifications to get timely information. Additionally, Weawow Weather supports dark mode, and there are 11 widgets options with different looks and sizes. Moreover, the app is completely free. You can however donate to support its development.

Weather & Widget - Weawow (Free⁺, Google Play) →

Today Weather

Today Weather is another beautiful and elegant weather app. It displays the weather information in a clean format that’s easy to read and understand. You get access to the same kind of weather data as most other apps in this list, like information about temperature, humidity, UV index, visibility, dew point, and pressure. Additionally, the app gives hourly forecasts for the next 24 hours and daily forecasts for 10 days.

Moreover, you can get information about air quality, sun and moon times, and wind. Weather maps are also available, but the detailed view is limited to premium subscribers. Today Weather has a lot of weather data sources to choose from, including its own weather data, and some of them are limited to premium subscribers. The app will also offer severe weather alerts as well as alerts for when rain and snow is approaching.

The Today Weather app is free to download and use, but it includes advertisements. You can get a premium subscription to remove ads, get all data sources, and full access to weather maps. The membership can be bought on a six-month, annual, or forever basis. There are over 20 widget options in Today Weather, with different functionality and size. The widget selection of the app is one of the best we’ve seen in a weather app.

Today Weather - Widget, Forecast, Radar & Alert (Free⁺, Google Play) →

Weather Underground

From the house of IBM, Weather Underground is a well-organized clean weather app that offers pretty much everything you would want from a weather app. It comes with features like maps with sophisticated weather visualizations, severe weather alerts, and hyper-local forecasts. The app provides hourly as well as daily forecasts for up to 15 days (10 days without the premium subscription). Additionally, you’ll get details about the air quality and sun and moon times.

Weather Underground supports dark mode as well as multiple map types. It also comes with a single widget. The app is free to download and use with ads, but you can get a premium subscription on a monthly or annual basis to remove ads and get forecasts for up to 15 days.

Weather data & microclimate : Weather Underground (Free⁺, Google Play) →

The Weather Channel

The Weather Channel is another great weather app from IBM, and it provides more features than the Weather Underground. It’s also one of the most downloaded weather apps in the Google Play store. With the app, you can see live radar updates, get severe weather alerts, weather maps, daily forecasts for up to 15 days, and hourly forecasts. You also get seasonal details like Heat Index, Mosquito Index, Sweat Index, Fog Index, and Umbrella Index, which can be very useful.

Additionally, the Weather Channel provides information about pollen and mold in your area, how the running conditions are, and the air quality details. You get six widget options with varying levels of detail. The Weather Channel is free to download and use but there are ads. You can get the premium pro subscription to remove ads and get 192 hours of detailed forecast information. There are monthly and annual subscription options.

Weather Radar & Live Widget: The Weather Channel (Free⁺, Google Play) →

YoWindow Awesome Weather

Awesome Weather from YoWindow is an interesting weather app for Android. It shows the weather at your location in a live landscape, complete with sounds. Ten landscape options are available in case you prefer one over the other. You can even create your own landscapes. In terms of the weather data, the app gets its information from a variety of sources, including the National Weather Service (NWS), Aeris weather, Foreca (nowcasting), yr.no (met.no), METAR, and Open Weather Map. You’ll able to check forecasts for up to 14 days.

The YoWindow Awesome Weather app offers six widget options as well as ten live wallpapers showing weather in your area. Additionally, you get an alarm clock that wakes you up to the sounds of nature, a weather screensaver, and weather maps. The radar and weather maps can be tried for five days, after which you’ll need to purchase the full version.

The app is free with advertisements; however, you can get the full version to get rid of the ads and remove all other limits. The full version can be purchased for a one time payment, monthly subscription, or yearly subscription.

Awesome weather YoWindow + live weather wallpaper (Free⁺, Google Play) →

Windy.com Weather

Windy’s official weather app offers far more detailed information than you’ll find on a typical weather app. For the same reason, it can also be overwhelming to regular people, who don’t need or want professional-grade data. However, if you’re a weather geek, this app will be right up your alley. The app offers forecast data, based on all leading models, including ECMWF, GFS, ICON, and NAM.

You’ll also get weather maps for everything from wind and rain to CAPE Index and pressure. Additionally, the app provides weather data for over 1,500 paragliding spots as well as wind and wave forecasts for kiting and surf spots. Moreover, the app offers three widgets. All in all, there is plenty of weather data in the app.

The Windy app is free to download and use; however, you’ll need a premium subscription for some of the weather data. The premium subscription can be bought for just one year or as an annual subscription.

Windy.com - Weather Radar, Satellite and Forecast (Free⁺, Google Play) →

Geometric Weather

Geometric Weather is one of the relatively newer apps on Android, but it already has a lot of fans. The app sports a clean and elegant design. You get access to hourly and daily weather forecasts for up to 15 days. It gives users two global weather data source choices, and three for regional data. The usual weather data details like temperature, air quality, wind, UV index, humidity, atmospheric pressure, visibility, dew point, and cloud cover are available as well.

Additionally, Geometric Weather supports dark mode and comes with a weather live wallpaper as well as 11 widget options. It is free to download and use. There are no ads or in-app purchases.

Geometric Weather (Free, Google Play) →

Weather Widget by WeatherBug

If you don’t want a full weather app on your phone and will be happy with just a widget, this widget app from WeatherBug can help. It includes five widget options for different column and row sizes. Depending on which widget you choose, you can get information about time, date, alarm information, temperature, weather type, and forecast temperatures for five days. It can also send you severe weather alerts.

The widgets look fairly decent and utilitarian. Don’t expect an exceptional design. Also, as it is just a collection of widgets, it won’t show up in your app drawer but you’ll find the widgets in the ‘add widget’ section. The Weather Widget by WeatherBug is free to download and use.

Weather Widget by WeatherBug: Alerts & Forecast (Free, Google Play) →

1Weather

1Weather is another popular weather app with over 50 million downloads. It offers a lot of weather information in different tabs, but the most useful bit – today’s weather – is present right on the app’s homescreen. You’ll also get hourly forecasts for the next 48 hours as well as daily forecasts for the next ten days. Weather maps, as well as 1Weather’s own video content around the weather, are also available on the app. Moreover, you’ll get severe weather alerts and a number of theming options.

A total of 12 widget options are present with different designs and sizes. The only problem we noticed with the app was the full-page ads that randomly show up and can be annoying. The app is free to download and use with ads, but you can remove ads with the Pro subscription that’s a one-time purchase.

1Weather: Weather Forecast, Widget, Alerts & Radar (Free⁺, Google Play) →

RadarScope

If you are looking to delve deeper into the weather data, RadarScope is perfect. It provides specialized radar data that’ll be appreciated by the weather geeks and meteorologists. You can view NEXRAD Level 3 and super-resolution radar data. The app also offers warning information about tornados, severe thunderstorms, and flash floods, using data from the US National Weather Service.

It uses information from a number of radar sites around the world, including North America, Japan, Korea, Australia, and Germany. The app also keeps on adding new radar sites for more data. Frankly, there’s no better app for weather-related radar data on Android. It’s important to note here that RadarScope doesn’t offer your typical weather forecast unless you can use the radar data to forecast the weather yourself.

RadarScope is a paid app and comes with optional subscriptions for some of the data. It’s also only available in select markets.

RadarScope ($9.99⁺, Google Play) →

Weather & Clock Widget

The Weather & Clock Widget is another weather widget app for Android but unlike the WeatherBug widget, it comes as a barebones app. However, if you only want widgets, you can just ignore the app apart from the initial setup. There are a total of 25 widget options with different designs and sizes. You only get two weather data sources, which may not be enough to get accurate information for everyone around the world.

Additionally, the app offers weather alerts as well as the hourly weather forecast for the next 60 hours and daily forecasts for ten days. The app is free to download and use with ads. There’s also a premium version for those of you who want to remove ads but there’s no in-app purchase in the free app to remove the ads.

Weather & Clock Widget for Android (Free, Google Play) →

AccuWeather

AccuWeather is perhaps the most prominent name in this list and it’s even used as a weather data source by many of the aforementioned apps. It’s also one of the most downloaded weather apps on the Google Play store. Its new interface is clean and provides hyperlocal and accurate weather information in an easy-to-read manner.

You’ll get today’s weather data right on the app’s homepage. Additionally, hourly forecasts for the next 72 hours, daily forecasts for the next 45 days, and weather maps are also available in the app. Moreover, the AccuWeather app provides weather news to keep you appraised of the latest happenings. Four widgets options are also present with different designs.

AccuWeather is free to download and use with ads; however, you can remove the ads by making an in-app purchase for one year. The annual subscription doesn’t renew automatically.

AccuWeather: Weather alerts & live forecast info (Free⁺, Google Play) →

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These are some of the best weather apps and widgets on Android. Some of the honorable mentions include Overdrop, Flowx, Yahoo Weather, and Appy Weather. Which weather app do you use? Do you think we missed any great weather apps or widgets? Let us know in the comments section.

Meanwhile, if you are looking for more amazing apps for Android, we’ve selected the overall best Android apps, the best SMS apps, and the best apps for kids.

The post These are the Best Weather Apps and Widgets for Android: Today Weather, AccuWeather, and more! appeared first on xda-developers.

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EU paves the way for Wi-Fi 6E devices to hit Europe

In April last year, the FCC opened up 1200MHz of spectrum in the 6GHz band, paving the way for Wi-Fi 6E in the US. The European Union is now following suit and has opened up 480MHz spectrum in the 6GHz band for the implementation of wireless access systems.

For the unaware, Wi-Fi 6 or Wi-Fi 802.11ax is the latest Wi-Fi standard from the Wi-Fi Alliance. It supports transfer speeds of up to 9.6Gbps, which is more than double the maximum speed supported by Wi-Fi 5. However, since Wi-Fi 6 broadcasts over the 2.4GHz and 5GHz bands, it suffers from the same spectrum congestion issues that plagued the older generation. Government bodies in several regions are opening up spectrum in the 6GHz band for unlicensed use to address this issue. Wi-Fi 6 devices that support 6GHz operation are labeled as Wi-Fi 6E certified.

The EU’s decision to open up spectrum in the 6GHz band will likely improve real-world performance compared to 5GHz Wi-Fi 5. This is due to the fact that Wi-Fi signals at 5GHz are often not as large as they could be because of limited spectrum availability. With Wi-Fi 6E, supported routers will be able to broadcast at the current maximum allowable channel size, resulting in a faster connection.

In a statement regarding the EU’s decision, the Wi-Fi Alliance said, “This decision will advance Europe’s digital connectivity by enabling deployment of Wi-Fi 6E technologies. Wi-Fi Alliance is committed to continuing to work with the European regulators on developing regulatory framework and spectrum access that is necessary to support the expanding Wi-Fi ecosystem.”

As per the EU’s Official Journal, all member states will have to designate the 5,945-6,425MHz frequency band and make it available on a non-exclusive, non-interference, and non-protected basis by December 1, 2021. According to Wi-Fi Now, the decision only applies to LPI (Low Power Indoor) and VLP (Very Low Power portable) devices. Unlike the US and Canada, “standard power operation for indoor and outdoor devices (using AFC)” is not permitted within the EU, the report adds.

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These are the Best Cheap Android Phones in July 2021: Google, Motorola, Samsung, OnePlus & More

When flagship smartphones get better, the prices tend to go up. Fortunately for many of us, this is not the case with budget and mid-tier phones — they improve year on year but the prices stay mostly the same because there’s demand for phones at this sub-$400 price range. Sure, budget phones tend to omit some of the bells and whistles on offer from the best Android phones, but if you keep your expectations realistic, you’ll be pleasantly surprised at how much $200-$300 can get you in 2021.

We here at XDA have the luxury of testing almost every phone that comes out, so here’s our list of the best cheap Android phones you can buy right now.

Navigate this article:

• Best Overall: Google Pixel 4a
• Best Endurance: Moto G Power
• Best for Samsung fans: Galaxy A42 5G
• Best Newcomer: TCL 20S
• Best for Stylus users: Moto G Stylus
• Best Android One device: Nokia 5.3
• Best Features & Specs: OnePlus Nord N10
• Best Rugged Phone: Blackview BV5900
• Best Value (not sold in US): Poco X3 Pro

Best Overall: Google Pixel 4a

The Google Pixel is an easy selection for this “Best Overall” category because of two things — software and camera. Being a pure Google phone, the Pixel 4a will be first in line to upgrade to Android 12. While it doesn’t have the focal length versatility of more premium phones, the main camera here is flagship level and can go up against any four-digit phone from Samsung or Apple.

Despite the Pixel 4a’s modest pricing, the phone has a flagship-level screen-to-body aspect ratio and a large battery that will last all day. Sure, the plastic build and only black color option leave it looking a bit drab, and this particular model doesn’t support 5G. But this is a $350 phone with a photography and software experience that beat not just everything else on this list, but even phones that cost three times as much.

Google Pixel 4a

It's not the most exciting looking smartphone, but the Google Pixel 4a is the best budget smartphone. Flagship-level camera, guaranteed the cleanest and latest version of Android, and improved battery life over the Pixel 4 makes this an easy recommendation.

View at Amazon

Best Endurance: Moto G Power

Thanks to the absence of Chinese budget brands such as Redmi and Realme stateside, Motorola has enjoyed a relatively unrivaled run as a top option for reasonable budget Android phones, and the Moto G Power continues that trend — although Samsung is bringing good competition. For around $250, you get a 6.4 inch screen with decently thin bezels and a large 5,000 mAh battery. The processor (Snapdragon 665), RAM (4GB), and camera performances fall short of other phones on this list, but they’re all still serviceable. The lack of NFC support could be a dealbreaker for those who use Google Pay, however.

On the software front, Motorola’s software is about as close to the Pixel 4a’s clean Android experience as you can get, aside from some additional Moto software features like arguably the best Always-On Display on the market. Overall, the Moto G Power is a worthy option for those who value battery life and clean software above all else.

Moto G Power

Don't stress about battery life with the Moto G Power -- its 5,000 mAh battery will surely power you through the day. Sure, the RAM and processor are not the greatest, but its low price tag and clean Moto software make the whole package worth it.

View at Amazon

Best for Samsung fans: Samsung Galaxy A42 5G

The benefit of buying a mid-tier phone from a big brand like Samsung is it has the resources to pass down premium components from higher-tier phones. Case in point — the $280 Galaxy A42 5G sports a gorgeous large 6.6-inch AMOLED panel with the trademark vibrant, punchy colors Samsung’s known for, and it managed to cram in a 48-megapixel main camera plus a sizable 5,000 mAh battery.

There’s a Snapdragon 750G that can handle all your daily tasks without issues plus give you 5G connectivity, and while the 60Hz refresh rate is a tad disappointing, we can’t complain too much at this price. Ultimately, the Galaxy A42 5G is for those loyal Samsung fans who love either the Samsung brand or One UI but can’t stomach paying over $1,000 for a Galaxy S or Note flagship.

Samsung Galaxy A42 5G

The Galaxy A42 5G is one of the most affordable 5G phones around, with a large screen and battery to boot.

View at Samsung

Best newcomer: TCL 20S

Best known for its televisions, TCL officially entered the Android space last year with the solid TCL 10 series, and now the 2021 update brings an updated TCL 20 series, including the middle device, TCL 20S

The TCL 20S offers a large 6.7-inch punchy AMOLED panel with thin bezels and a large 5,000 mAh battery with 18W fast charging. Such a large battery for a 60Hz AMOLED panel means you can expect all-day battery life easily. Under the hood, the phone is powered by a Snapdragon 665 with 4GB of RAM. For optics, you have a 64MP main shooter flanked by an 8MP ultra-wide-angle camera (plus a pair of sensors for depth and macro photography).

Despite its plastic back, the construction of the phone is above average, considering its price tag and the somewhat newcomer status of TCL.

TCL 20S

TCL's second smartphone series brings a big screen and capable Qualcomm processor at a low price.

View at Amazon

Best for Stylus users: Moto G Stylus

If you want a phone with a stylus, but find the Galaxy Note series and Galaxy S21 Ultra to be too expensive, the Moto G Stylus is one of the very few viable options. This $300 phone may pack just 4GB RAM and doesn’t support NFC, but you do get Snapdragon 665, a clean UI, a headphone jack, and of course, that stylus.

It works mostly well if you’re not comparing it to the S-Pen of the Galaxy Note 20 or Galaxy Note 10. There’s no Bluetooth connectivity nor palm rejection when the stylus tip touches the screen. Still, latency is relatively low, and the software adapts to the input well. For example, if you pull the stylus out from the bottom of the phone while the screen is off, the screen jumps to a dark notepad — just like the off-screen memo of the Note series.

The 4,000 mAh battery can also power this thing all day, the screen looks pretty nice, and you have a strong pair of stereo speakers. The cameras, however, are just decent.

Moto G Stylus

Who said the Galaxy Note is the only phone in town with a stylus? The Moto G Stylus, with its 6.4-inch near the all-screen front and a stylus of its own, is a great option for those who like to jot down notes or make the occasional sketch.

View at Amazon

Best Android One device: Nokia 5.3

For those who want their software as light as possible, the Nokia 5.3 is a worthy option running Android One, a near-stock version of Android guaranteed to get timely Google software updates for at least two years.

You also get a 4,000 mAh battery, 6.5-inch 720 x 1600 screen (both large at this price range), and a reliable 13-megapixel primary camera. The 5-megapixel ultrawide camera and 3GB of RAM will probably leave you wanting, but at its $199 price, it’s hard to fault.

Nokia 5.3

One of the original big mobile phone brands is back with a $200 smartphone. None of the specs will pop off the spec sheet but its affordable price, near-stock Android software, and a 4,000 mAh battery give it plenty of appeal.

View at Amazon

Best Features and Specs: OnePlus Nord N10

Last year, OnePlus released the OnePlus Nord, a mid-range phone with upper mid-tier specs, for the European market. For North Americans waiting their turn, they have the Nord N10, which is even cheaper at $299. The Nord N10 features a 6.49-inch FHD+ display with a 90Hz refresh rate, 6GB of RAM, 128GB of storage, and a 4,300mAh battery that supports OnePlus’ fast 30W charging.

The Snapdragon 690 processor here isn’t going to blow anyone’s socks off, but it’s pretty serviceable and 5G ready. The main 64MP camera produces sharp and vibrant images, and there’s a decent ultra-wide lens as well. Oh, and you get a headphone jack too.

OnePlus Nord N10 5G

The OnePlus Nord N10 is a 5G device with a high-refresh display on a budget. The overall hardware package is modest yes, but it'll work out for average consumers on a tighter budget.

View at Best Buy

Best Rugged Phone: Blackview BV5900

If you constantly drop your phone or if you work in rough environments like construction sites, the Blackview BV5900 may be worth a look. Costing less than $200, it offers a large 5,580 mAh battery, a 5.7-inch 720p LCD screen, NFC functionality, and IP68 water and dust resistance. The phone is also wrapped in aluminum and rubber, so while it’s not the sleekest design, it will be able to take drops better than any other phone on this list.

The single 13MP main camera leaves a lot to be desired, but at this price point, it’s hard to gripe too much. This is a heavy-duty, workman-like phone for those who just need something that won’t break easily.

Blackview BV5900

The Blackview BV5900 is a heavy-duty rugged phone that should be able to survive a drop or two -- or six.

View at Amazon

Best Value (not sold in US): Poco X3 Pro

Here’s an open secret among Android fans — the US phone scene is relatively limited due to the fact that most Chinese brands don’t sell stateside. If you’re willing to import, Xiaomi’s Poco X3 NFC has hands-down the best dollar-for-dollar value of any phone released in recent memory. Here’s what you get for a starting price of 199 euro ($234) — a 6.7-inch 120Hz screen; a 5,160 mAh battery that can go two full days for all but the heaviest of users, the very capable and new Snapdragon 860 chip, and a solid main 64-megapixel main camera.

The display is just an LCD panel instead of the OLED seen in phones like the Google Pixel 4a and OnePlus Nord, but it refreshes at 120Hz. The stereo speaker system and haptic engine are better than anything we’ve seen at this $200-ish price range too.

The caveat is, of course, the fact this phone doesn’t sell officially in the US. So there’s no guarantee it’ll work on all carriers, and importing will likely drive up the price a bit.

POCO X3 Pro

The POCO X3 Pro is possibly the best value in the smartphone space right now bar none -- the catch is the phone doesn't sell officially in North America so readers in the US and Canada will have to import if they want one.

View at Amazon UK

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None of the phones listed here are going to be confused for premium flagships, but they’re more than serviceable and offer a lot for the money. The OnePlus Nord N10 and the POCO X3 Pro, in our opinion, offer the best bang for your dollar. But photography lovers or those who want the most hassle-free software experience should go for the Pixel 4a.

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