Google’s Pixel Tablet has its own unique weather experience from other Android devices. While the weather app isn’t drastically different, there are some exclusive little perks you get.
This includes a Material You redesign that updates the visuals. But it also introduces a new Google Nowcast feature. These are available on both the Pixel Tablet and the Pixel Fold. And according to 9To5Google, they’re also changes that will be brought to other devices at some point in the future.
Google doesn’t really mention when, though. So if you want to experience the new design and Google Nowcast for yourself, you’ll need a Pixel Tablet or a Pixel Fold. Of course, that’s an expensive investment just to get some new weather features. So at the very least, you might want to know what Google Nowcast does. Worth noting is that while Nowcast in the Google Weather app only on the Pixel Tablet and Pixel Fold for now, you can access the information elsewhere.
If you search for weather on mobile, the data can pop up there. It also surfaces when you search for weather on the web. Data through this method is only available in the US though and only in English. Here’s what the feature brings to the party.
Google Nowcast makes the Pixel Tablet weather experience more accurate
Basically, you get more accurate weather details about rain, hail, and snow over a 12-hour period. The data used to surface the weather results using Nowcast is also refreshed a few times an hour. So not only are the weather predictions for these conditions more accurate, they’re also fairly up to date.
Google pulls this data from multiple sources, including Multi-Radar/Multi-Sensor Systems and High-Resolution Rapid Refresh systems from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Nowcast info only pops up if there’s rain, hail, or snow that’s being detected using the data and within that 12-hour forecast. The app also still uses weather.com data for forecasts that are longer than 12 hours.