14 DAY TRIAL // Universal apps are Microsoft’s new attempt at addressing the lack of apps in modern Windows, as they can be installed on both PCs and smartphones and offer the same features and interface no matter the screen size or the hardware capabilities.
AccuWeather, the company that has already had dedicated weather apps for Windows 8.1 and Windows Phone, has decided to join the universal app bandwagon with a new version specifically developed to run on smartphones and PCs alike.
Called AccuWeather - Weather for Life, the new app is now available in the store with a very clean look (although you’ll see a small ad in the main screen) and a layout that automatically resizes to adapt to different screen sizes.
Weather live tile
While the app still needs some improvements - it crashed several times after the install on our Windows 10 PCs - it does have the features that bring it in line with the new approach of the operating system, including a hamburger menu and live tile support.
For example, you can pin any location to the Start menu or Start screen to see weather information without the need to open the app. That certainly comes in handy to Windows 10 users who do love live tiles (it’s not a secret that some removed live tiles completely, so if you’re among those who decided to stick with them, this is a helpful feature).
You can create individual live tiles for any location in the app, and radar information is also displayed, as compared to the built-in Weather app that only shows the current- and the next-day forecast.
All in all, it’s good to see developers joining the universal app push, but until now, most of the companies that have decided to create such apps were already avid Windows supporters. That being said, it’s still critical to see other companies, including Google, of course, finally code for Windows.
