AI-Powered Forecasts Expand to Pixel 8: A Step Forward for Pixel Weather

07/29/2025 Mobile

I've always appreciated Pixel Weather for its simplicity and accuracy. However, it's been a bit frustrating that some of its coolest features, like the AI-powered forecasts, were limited to the newest Pixel phones. It felt like we were missing out on something special, especially since Google highlighted these features.

Initially exclusive to the Pixel 9 series, the AI-powered forecasts made their way to the Pixel 6 family with last year's October Pixel Drop. I remember thinking, "Great, but what about the Pixel 8?" It seemed like those phones had the potential to handle the AI processing, particularly after the rollout of Gemini Nano. I mean, if you give a phone the tools, you expect it to use them, right?

After a long wait, some Pixel 8 users are finally reporting that they're seeing AI forecasts in their Pixel Weather app. It appears that, if you have a Pixel 8 or 8a, you might get a prompt to update Gemini Nano when you open the app. You also want to make sure that Gemini Nano is enabled in your phone’s Developer Settings. It's a welcome change, and I'm curious to see how accurate these AI-powered forecasts will be in everyday use.

It's interesting that it's taken this long to arrive, considering that the necessary software components were already in place. I can't help but wonder what Google's long-term plans are for this expansion. For example, will older Pixel models eventually gain access to these features? Or is this just a taste of what's to come for newer devices?

Even though there are still some unanswered questions, I think it's a positive sign. It proves that Google is willing to bring some of the newer features to a wider range of devices. It makes the Pixel Weather app a little more useful and relevant for a larger number of users, and I'm all for that!