Popular weather app Dark Sky has just received an update for iOS that lets users crowdsource their weather forecasts.
Instead of just receiving forecasts, your iPhone will now be able to help create them for other app customers.
In the latest version, the app uses the barometer on your iPhone 6 or iPhone 6 Plus to source pressure readings on an opt-in basis.
In theory, this will allow Dark Sky to “dramatically improve” short-term forecasts in the future.
“Up until now, we’ve relied mostly on government-run weather stations to provide ‘ground truth’ to validate our forecasts,” explains the team behind Dark Sky, in a blog post.
It continues: “By recruiting our wonderful users to help us, we can greatly increase the on-the-ground data that we need most.”
The team claims that having users submit pressure readings offers “the potential to revolutionise weather forecasting.”
The update also brought with it a number of other improvements, including a new layout, launch speed improvements, and a UV index for those prone to sunburn.
There’s also a new weather reporter, which lets you provide feedback on what’s going on outside your window.
What’s more, Dark Sky can now handle custom 24/7 alerts for temperature, precipitation, snow accumulation, wind, and more.
The app will also now push severe weather alerts from the government’s weather service. A handy way to tackle the ever-impending threat of cataclysm – bunker not included.
If you want to get involved with Dark Sky’s crowdsourcing, check out our iPhone 6 video review and see if it’s the handset for you:
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Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.