The iPhone's native weather app becomes inaccurate when it's 69 degrees outside

[Cal Jeffrey]

Facepalm: Some societies shun specific numbers. Some people don't like seeing the number 666 because they associate it with evil. Hotels skip the 13th floor because guests equate it with bad luck. But what's wrong with 69? Well, you can probably guess how that can be a problematic number in a politically correct society. Yes, it's nonsense, but so are the beliefs about 666 and 13.

A strange quirk has been discovered in Apple's iOS 14.6 software. The Verge points out that it appears the native weather app will not display the temperatures 65F, 69F, and 71F. All three numbers have sexual connotations, which we will not explain here—that's the Urban Dictionary's job.

Suffice it to say that, at first glance, it appears as if Apple is censoring the suggestion that a temperature can somehow be related to sex. It seems absurd that Apple would intentionally alter accurate weather information, so could there be another, more reasonable explanation?

Most likely a rounding error, going from C to F, 20C is 68F, 21C is 69.8F. If that's the cause you should not be seeing 65, 67, 71, 74 either for example.

— Marc-André Dufresne (@theMarcDufresne) July 13, 2021

Perhaps, as some Twitter users point out, the weather app simply converts Celsius temperatures to Fahrenheit and rounds the result to a whole number. The formula for C->F conversions is (°C × 9/5) + 32 = °F. So, 18C is 64.4F or 64F rounded, and 19C is 66.2F or 66F, completely skipping 65F. Likewise, 20C, 21C, and 22C are 68F, 69.8F (70F rounded), and 71.6f (72F rounded) respectively.

The odd thing about the rounding theory is that why is it rounding at all. The iOS weather app pulls temperature data from Weather.com, which has no problem providing accurate Fahrenheit temperatures, including 65F, 68F, and 71F. So why not just pull that data rather than grabbing the temperature in Celsius then converting. That is not at all efficient coding.

The quirk does not occur in all versions of iOS either. The Verge notes that iOS 11.2.1 displays accurately, but the latest iteration (14.6) skips those numbers. Additionally, the iOS 15 beta displays the numbers correctly, suggesting it might be a bug that Apple noticed and has a patch for in the next major update.

So far, Apple has not publically acknowledged the quirk or returned requests for comment.

Permalink to story.

https://www.techspot.com/news/90413-iphone-native-weather-app-becomes-inaccurate-when-69.html

 

[m4a4]

Well, either way it's laughable. And that also applies to noticing it lol

 

[onetheycallEric]

Everyone drop an obligatory "Nice" in the comments.

 

[punctualturn]

Not surprised one bit.

We are talking of a company that insults you by calling you a child and then treating you as one.

Better yet, the rabid cult members defend such insults.

I am really surprised that they havent mess with the clock and remove 4:20 from it.

 

[Squid Surprise]

Not surprised one bit.

We are talking of a company that insults you by calling you a child and then treating you as one.

Better yet, the rabid cult members defend such insults.

I am really surprised that they havent mess with the clock and remove 4:20 from it.

I highly doubt that there were any malevolent reasons for this... to what end?!?!

It's just converting from Celsius and rounding... and honestly, everyone should be going by Celsius anyways - my water boils at 100 and freezes at 0 thank you very much! 212 and 32?!?! Really?!?!?

 

[NicktheWVAHick]

It’s always 69 somewhere in the world……

 

[REAndy]

I like the C° to F° conversion rounding explanation. It could be that Apple is getting the weather info from the National Weather Service METAR system which always gives the temperature and dew point as C°

 

[punctualturn]

I highly doubt that there were any malevolent reasons for this... to what end?!?!

I know that apple, like nvidia, has an unlimited army of white knights that will always rise to defend and make excuses for them, so wont get much more into it than my original response.

 

[Squid Surprise]

I know that apple, like nvidia, has an unlimited army of white knights that will always rise to defend and make excuses for them, so wont get much more into it than my original response.

This has nothing to do with being a white knight defending Apple.... tell me how Apple benefits from "controlling the temperature" of the weather app!!

 

[punctualturn]

This has nothing to do with being a white knight defending Apple.... tell me how Apple benefits from "controlling the temperature" of the weather app!!

Simple, because they can!!

Now I do wonder, why such a comment from a nobody in the internet triggers you so badly?

 

[Squid Surprise]

Simple, because they can!!

Now I do wonder, why such a comment from a nobody in the internet triggers you so badly?

They can do all sorts of things... like making the iPhone startup noise monkey farts... but they don't... because WHY WOULD THEY?

Hence the same with the weather app... explain why you think, in your wisdom, that "because they can" is more plausible than simply rounding...

 

[Markoni35]

I like the C° to F° conversion rounding explanation. It could be that Apple is getting the weather info from the National Weather Service METAR system which always gives the temperature and dew point as C°

Nope. It says in the article they are retrieving it from Weather.com which accepts temperatures in F. So, no reason for the conversion.

 

[Markoni35]

Hence the same with the weather app... explain why you think, in your wisdom, that "because they can" is more plausible than simply rounding...

I agree. This looks like a typical stupid programming mistake, nothing else.

 

[Danny101]

I didn't think Apple to be prudes. They did choose the forbidden fruit, with a byte in it, by the way.

 

[captaincranky]

But what's wrong with 69? Well, you can probably guess how that can be a problematic number in a politically correct society.

Many to most adolescent males generally have to stop counting at 68. (Just like the iPhone)?
But not rocker Bryan Adams:

If you have absolutely nothing better to do, try and count how many time Ms Swift flats the F#4 in the melody.
Here: got my first >six< string. And here >sixty<(nine). Sometimes you have to wonder if they're actually singing in the same key. Much to her credit though, she sure ain't using Auto-tune.

She probably should have dialed those shorts back a bit. She used to be such a nice girl.

 

[captaincranky]

They can do all sorts of things... like making the iPhone startup noise monkey farts... but they don't... because WHY WOULD THEY?

I think Tesla may have the whole "monkey fart" thing, copyrighted for their Model 3 turn signals.

 

[captaincranky]

I didn't think Apple to be prudes. They did choose the forbidden fruit, with a byte in it, by the way.

Well, symbolically, the bitten apple represents "knowledge" Adam and Eve had to leave Eden because the were no longer dumb as a box of rocks. Not that I believe any of that bullsh!t, but to follow along with the legend, it leaves Apple with the role of being the "serpent". And hey, that's pretty damned hard to dispute.

Although, some would suggest that divorce lawyers fill that role admirably as well.

 

[Danny101]

Many to most adolescent males generally have to stop counting at 68. (Just like the iPhone)?
But not rocker Bryan Adams:

If you have absolutely nothing better to do, try and count how many time Ms Swift flats the F#4 in the melody.
Here: got my first >six< string. And here >sixty<(nine). Sometimes you have to wonder if they're actually singing in the same key. Much to her credit though, she sure ain't using Auto-tune.

She probably should have dialed those shorts back a bit. She used to be such a nice girl.

Many to most adolescent males generally have to stop counting at 68. (Just like the iPhone)?
But not rocker Bryan Adams:

If you have absolutely nothing better to do, try and count how many time Ms Swift flats the F#4 in the melody.
Here: got my first >six< string. And here >sixty<(nine). Sometimes you have to wonder if they're actually singing in the same key. Much to her credit though, she sure ain't using Auto-tune.

She probably should have dialed those shorts back a bit. She used to be such a nice girl.

Looks like Swift has developed big thighs and caboose. Don't think she's noticed.

 

[captaincranky]

Looks like Swift has developed big thighs and caboose. Don't think she's noticed.

I certainly did... (Offhand I'd say, at 31, her days of strutting down the runway with the Vicky's Secret models are just about done)..I'd forgive her for that, if she could only carry a tune live..

Still, that $1000.00 PoS IPhone should be able to show 69 degrees Fahrenheit