THE BBC Weather app went down for thousands of users yesterday (Tuesday March 23, 2021).
Android users also reported frequent app crashes on popular favourites such as Gmail, Yahoo Mail and Google browser, with the problem particularly affecting owners of Samsung Galaxy smartphones.
Why is the BBC weather app not working?
BBC Weather went down for users on Tuesday.
And while the Beeb did not identified any specific issues with its platform, it seems the problems lay with Google.
The tech giant found an issue with phones caused by Android System WebView.
The system component lets Android apps display web components.
Google’s fix should solve problems some people have experienced with the BBC Weather app.
All they need to do is update the web view to its latest version 89.0.4389.105, and Google Chrome with it.
Both updates are now available on the Google Play Store for Android users.
A Google spokesman said: “We have resolved the issue with WebView that caused some apps on Android to crash for some users.
“Updating Android System WebView and Google Chrome via Google Play should now resolve the issue.”
How do I check if apps aren’t working?
There are simple steps to take to check if your app has a problem or isn’t working properly by checking in the Google Play Store at your history.
Users can open the Google Play Store, tap the hamburger menu in the upper-left corner, then select “My apps & games.”
Apps that have updates available are listed.
If you see your malfunctioning app on the list, tap Update and then check it again to see if the issue has been resolved.
When else has the BBC weather app been down?
There has not been any instances of the BBC Weather app going down in recent years.
But in 2018, tourism chiefs said inaccurate BBC weather app forecasts were hitting trade.
They say many visitors were put off by storm predictions over the May Bank Holiday weekend.
Yet many places stayed dry. Jon Weaver, head of resort marketing and events in Bournemouth, said at the time: “The BBC predicted rain all morning for the Saturday.
“Their picture for the day was pretty awful. In the end we had blue skies and sunshine. It’s so frustrating. It’s having a negative impact on businesses.”