Install This Android Dark Sky Clone While You Can
Dark Sky has been a popular weather app for many Android users. That was until it was removed from the Google Store after Apple bought it out and made it a product. Some Android apps offer similar, super-localized weather reports, but some of us just don’t get over the loss of Dark Sky. Luckily, an anonymous developer pulled Frankenstein out and resurrected Dark Sky as “Darker Sky” on Android.
Darker Sky is the original Dark Sky Android app, made as a standalone app. It looks and works much like the long-gone original, with a few key exceptions.
You will not be able to use paid Dark Sky features such as severe weather notifications or send your own weather reports, even if they are listed in the Darker Sky app. An anonymous developer tells the XDA devs that they have no intention of making them work, so you’ll be stuck with free prediction features, which are some of the best to be honest. The app features reports on temperature, wind and precipitation, as well as other useful tools such as radar views and the Time Machine tool. The dark theme works too.
Another small caveat: Reverse engineering and rebuilding an app is a bold move, but doing it with an Apple-owned app is openly punishing retaliation, as most attempts to play god often encounter this. Darker Sky’s lifespan will likely be short, so here’s how to download and install it while you can.
Darker Sky must be downloaded to your device – you won’t find it on Google Play for obvious reasons. Downloading unpublished files is easy, but installing unofficial .APK files can infect your Android phone with malware. However, I’m pretty sure I recommend Darker Sky; I have downloaded and tested the app without any issue and the XDA devs are reporting the same smooth, malware-free experience. It’s worth being aware of the potential risks, but this time you’re probably okay.
How to install Darker Sky on Android
- Install the Telegram app if you don’t already have it (you need it to download the app file).
- Open this link on your phone to view the official Telegram group of the Darker Sky app.
- Click the Download Darker Sky link in the chat history. (You don’t have to join the group if you don’t want to.)
- Tap the download banner, or find and tap the Darker Sky APK in your device’s Downloads folder to install it.
- Allow Telegram to install apps if prompted.
- Follow the instructions on the screen to complete the installation.
- Launch Darker Sky from your device’s app launcher screen.
Any future updates will be posted on the app’s official Telegram server while it’s available. You need to install these new versions if you want to use any new features added by the developers of Darker Sky.
If Darker Sky receives a removal notification, it will likely stop working. If this happens, you will have to look for an alternative weather app to get the meteorological fix. Fortunately, you have a lot to choose from .