Here's Why Apple Has Made The Switch From Yahoo To The Weather Channel In iOS 8

As reported earlier this month, Apple has ditched Yahoo in favor of The Weather Channel as the provider of weather data in iOS 8. According to Re/code, the switch is a result of a deal initiated by former Yahoo board member and The Weather Channel CEO David Kenny. To persuade Apple to make the switch, The Weather Channel offered to add more relevant data, including hyperlocal information, nine-day forecasts (as opposed to Yahoo's five-day ones), and weather conditions summaries. The irony is likely not lost on users who are familiar with how Apple's weather information is presented. Apple's current Weather app has been powered by Yahoo (which has its own Yahoo Weather app). But its presented data actually have been sourced from The Weather Channel. All Apple has decided to do, then, is to cut out the middleman, i.e. Yahoo, and list its actual source, i.e., The Weather Channel, in both iOS 8's Weather app and Notification Center. As reported by Re/code:

"Yahoo had been renting ocean-front property for years and did not realize the lease was up, and the Weather Channel slipped right in and took it,” said a Yahoo exec, who said the company acted too late to save the deal. “It’s a high-profile loss."

Interestingly, this move goes against recent strategies by Yahoo CEO Marissa Mayer to bring about a stronger presence for her company in Apple's products. These have included plans to make Yahoo the default search engine on iOS — plans that apparently have also failed, considering that Apple has replaced Google as the search provider for its Spotlight feature in iOS 8 in favor of Microsoft's Bing. Where does this leave Yahoo's partnership with Apple on the iOS device maker's Stocks app? Apparently, there have been speculations that Apple may go with Bloomberg, CNBC, or Reuters over Yahoo as its stock data provider in future versions of its mobile operating system. Boo-hoo for Yahoo.

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