Air quality reporting on iOS • Hacker News Board

Re: Air quality reporting on iOS

#21

Post by SkyPuncher » Sun, Jun 25, 2023, 2:13 PM UTC

dylan604 wrote: post #17

“I noticed something strange in the iOS weather app” I’ve noticed that the weather app on my iOS, iPadOS, and watchOS all show differing forecasts with all 3 devices within 18” of each other. AQI is just one of the parts of the forecast that I just don’t pay attention too. Around here in the summer, it is always an alert saying don’t go outside

I’m giving up on Apple Weather (despite recently saying it was fine).

I got burned this past weekend when painting my deck. Forecast was absolutely clear in the window I needed to paint/dry. Just after I started, forecast changed to nearly 100% rain this wasn’t a case of “oh maybe the chance of rain was wrong”. No, it went from 0 to having a hundred of mile wide storm pass through. The type of storm that doesn’t just pop up.

It’s insane how they killed dark sky.

Re: Air quality reporting on iOS

#22

Post by jsjohnst » Sun, Jun 25, 2023, 2:23 PM UTC

evanriley wrote: post #15

DangerousPie wrote: post #13

I have never understood how to interpret AQI in iOS. Confusingly, the UI will (edit: or at least used to?) say "Air Quality: Low" when what it means is that the pollution level is low (ie. air quality is high). Somewhat disappointing coming from Apple.

Hmm, what country does this happen in? I've never seen it use Low/High, only from Good to Hazardous.

Same for me in US English. For example, right now it’s “18 - Good”. It was “469 - Hazardous” just three weeks ago though.

Re: Air quality reporting on iOS

#23

Post by 404mm » Sun, Jun 25, 2023, 2:27 PM UTC

mensetmanusman wrote: post #14

'This air quality level is known to cause cancer in California'

Wildfires will do that :(

Re: Air quality reporting on iOS

#24

Post by 404mm » Sun, Jun 25, 2023, 2:30 PM UTC

Somewhat related, Apple’s Air Quality data source (breezometer) is now owned by Google.

I wonder what Apple is going to do about it. Will it be just one of their data sources or are they going to acquire their own?

Re: Air quality reporting on iOS

#25

Post by capitainenemo » Sun, Jun 25, 2023, 2:31 PM UTC

joshgachnang wrote: post #19

owl110 wrote: post #10

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I think the problem is that the colors have different meaning. The values in the screenshot for Amsterdam using the NL scale translates to 'insufficient' and while the DE scale translates to 'good' for the same city at the same time. At the very least, it means that a user cannot use these scales for inference without knowing/understanding the technology behind them. This is probably not the intention behind showing…

The colors having different meanings shouldn't come up in typical cases, because who's looking at their air quality map from two different countries? There's also a key to the upper left. It's interesting and well designed IMO. I don't think this actually causes issues for any users.

The difficulty seems to be that depending on what country you are in, the colours you are used to will have different meanings.

Hopefully the german definition of good air quality isn't too overly optimistic, or someone with actual health issues might get a surprise if they are used to being ok on days with a certain "colour" when traveling.

Re: Air quality reporting on iOS

#26

Post by booi » Sun, Jun 25, 2023, 2:31 PM UTC

404mm wrote: post #24

Somewhat related, Apple’s Air Quality data source (breezometer) is now owned by Google. I wonder what Apple is going to do about it. Will it be just one of their data sources or are they going to acquire their own?

Is this really an issue? I bet Apple users use gmail too.

Re: Air quality reporting on iOS

#27

Post by can16358p » Sun, Jun 25, 2023, 2:32 PM UTC

I've never ever seen air quality in iOS. Probably not available where I live. You guys at least, well, have it.

Re: Air quality reporting on iOS

#28

Post by speedgoose » Sun, Jun 25, 2023, 2:36 PM UTC

booi wrote: post #26

404mm wrote: post #24

Somewhat related, Apple’s Air Quality data source (breezometer) is now owned by Google. I wonder what Apple is going to do about it. Will it be just one of their data sources or are they going to acquire their own?

Is this really an issue? I bet Apple users use gmail too.

They also use Google Search by default.

Re: Air quality reporting on iOS

#29

Post by zitterbewegung » Sun, Jun 25, 2023, 2:36 PM UTC

404mm wrote: post #24

Somewhat related, Apple’s Air Quality data source (breezometer) is now owned by Google. I wonder what Apple is going to do about it. Will it be just one of their data sources or are they going to acquire their own?

Since its Google, Apple will probably be forced to do something once Google kills it off.

Re: Air quality reporting on iOS

#30

Post by [deleted] » Sun, Jun 25, 2023, 2:36 PM UTC

joshgachnang wrote: post #19

owl110 wrote: post #10

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I think the problem is that the colors have different meaning. The values in the screenshot for Amsterdam using the NL scale translates to 'insufficient' and while the DE scale translates to 'good' for the same city at the same time. At the very least, it means that a user cannot use these scales for inference without knowing/understanding the technology behind them. This is probably not the intention behind showing…

The colors having different meanings shouldn't come up in typical cases, because who's looking at their air quality map from two different countries? There's also a key to the upper left. It's interesting and well designed IMO. I don't think this actually causes issues for any users.

[deleted]