Local Weather Data missing

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Local Weather Data missing

Hi,

I just wanted to see how widespread this issue is - but it seems all Australian local weather information has disappeared in the last month or two from every Apple product.

I've tested on iOS 4, 5 & 7, as well as Mac OS X 10.8 Dashboard widget. With every one of these, if you enter your suburb, or postcode, it sets you to the major metropolitan city your suburb is within.

For example, typing any postcode or suburb name that's located in Sydney, after the "validating city" pause, returns Sydney as the location. Switching on Local Weather also returns just Sydney, so the feature is pretty much pointless.

All these services go through Yahoo weather, which I assume gets its information from Australia's Bureau of Meteorology, so the question is at which point the choke is occurring.

Thanks.

Posted on Nov 6, 2013 8:30 PM

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Answer 1

AdamFyo

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Nov 8, 2013 11:54 AM in response to matt-g-space

Having the same issue

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Answer 2

ChrisJ4203

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Nov 8, 2013 11:58 AM in response to matt-g-space

Well, since Yahoo gets its weather from the Bureau as you state, and then the iPhone gets its weather from Yahoo, it has to be either Yahoo or the Bureau, neither of which means the phone. I would try contacting those two providers to see what the issue is, as one of them is the "choke" as you refer to it.

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Answer 3

matt-g-space Author

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Nov 8, 2013 7:29 PM in response to ChrisJ4203

Oh yeah, I'm aware it's not the phone itself - since it's iOS and Mac effecting. Im just curious to see if it's happening outside Australia.

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Answer 4

ChrisJ4203

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Nov 8, 2013 7:31 PM in response to matt-g-space

Sorry. Had read what you wrote earlier and waited for someone to respond. And when the second poster posted today, it reminded me and I just wondered if you had checked into at least the Bureau to see if they had trouble with Yahoo. One question comes to mind though, If you go to Yahoo on the computer, and I'm not sure if that what you did, do you get the weather? That one would make me ask if they are getting the weather to push out.

Good luck trying to get it figured out.

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Answer 5

matt-g-space Author

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Nov 8, 2013 7:41 PM in response to ChrisJ4203

Yahoo in Australia is actually a joint venture with one of our free-to-air TV networks, but yes, when you go to Yahoo Australia, and search for Australian suburbs, you do get suburb-specific weather. However it also seems Yahoo gets its data from a company called WeatherZone (who source from BoM), who perhaps restrict downstream usage granularity. I think I might end up calling Applecare and see if they've got anything on record about it.

anyone else seeing the problem, feel free to chime in.

cheers

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Answer 6

ChrisJ4203

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Nov 8, 2013 7:53 PM in response to matt-g-space

Isn't it amazing how we find out things we used to take for granted are obtained. Before smartphones, we watched the weather on TV and someone stood there and told us what the weather and temperature was. He had to get it from somewhere, but we really didn't care where unless he wasn't right! Now it can come to us directly on the phone, so long as those responsible for providing it are doing their job. When it doesn't work, we find there are a dozen or so different places that have to provide a portion of things and we cannot determine who is to blame when it doesn't work.

Now I'm not belittling you, I'm just making fun of technology and how we have modified our lifestyle to deal with things. Myself, I now find myself wanting to read about a dozen different new sites on a computer when several years ago I was content with reading the local paper and watching local TV, who actually censored my news in a way. They showed me what they thought I should see.

Sorry for getting philosophical. Been one of those days. Have a great weekend!!

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Answer 7

matt-g-space Author

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Nov 8, 2013 8:00 PM in response to ChrisJ4203

haha, yeah - ive become quite dependent on my the weather app / widget. it's integrated into my day to day so effectively. Sydney's size and geography also means it has some pretty large temperature variations, depending on whether you're near the coast, or 10 minutes west inland where heat builds up.

anyway, off to photograph roller derby, have a great weekend yourself. 🙂

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