Dark Sky: Apple buys beloved weather app to improve iPhone and shuts down Android version

App is known for precise, local forecasts

A pedestrian crosses in the intersection of Queen Street and Victoria Street during heavy rain on July 1, 2014 in Auckland, New Zealand (Jason Oxenham/Getty Images)

Apple has bought beloved weather app Dark Sky, and will shut down the Android version.

The iOS version of the app will not change, and other apps that use its data will run as normal for now.

But the company said the Android version will shut and they will receive a refund for what they have spent on the app.

The Android app is no longer available to download and will shut down for existing subscribers on 1 July.

The app's co-founder, Adam Grossman, said the deal would allow the service to "reach far more people".

"Today we have some important and exciting news to share: Dark Sky has joined Apple," Mr Grossman wrote in a blog post.

"Our goal has always been to provide the world with the best weather information possible, to help as many people as we can stay dry and safe, and to do so in a way that respects your privacy.

"There is no better place to accomplish these goals than at Apple. We're thrilled to have the opportunity to reach far more people, with far more impact, than we ever could alone."

It is not clear what Apple plans to do with the weather app, but it will presumably be folded into the forecasts that are provided by the built-in tool in the iPhone and other platforms. It has not commented on the acquisition.

As well as making the app, Dark Sky provides an API, which allows other apps to gather its weather data. That will be available until the end of 2021, but also will stop new sign-ups.