What Happened To The Google Weather Frog?

Not too long ago, you had to rely on traditional media like television or radio for weather updates. But everyone has a smartphone nowadays, and most smartphones have weather apps. Weather apps are simple, convenient and easy to use, for the most part. Also, there are thousands of them, so even if you don't like the default app on your phone, you're bound to find one that suits your specific needs.

There is one app that stands out, though, or at least it used to, and not necessarily because of its advanced features, but because of its mascot: the Google Weather app and its frog mascot, Froggy. The charming little green frog would greet users with illustrations matching the weather and time of day — if it was snowing, Froggy would play in the snow; if it was windy, he'd fly a kite; if the sky was clear, he'd look through his telescope. Users absolutely adored Froggy, and, with time, he became central to the experience of checking the weather for many people. But, sadly, Froggy is no more. 

Google first made major changes to its weather app in June 2023, when it underwent a significant redesign, with the user interface changing from playful and whimsical to modern, detailed, and polished. But Froggy was still there — the cartoon amphibian was smaller than before and located at the top of the app.

This was a limited update, as it only rolled out for the Google Pixel Tablet. Some users were able to spoof their Pixel smartphones, however, and access the redesigned interface before it was officially available on other Android devices. But that was 18 months ago, and a lot has changed since then.

The new version of Pixel Weather rolled out more widely in October 2024, but by this time, Froggy had been removed entirely. The cartoon amphibian is now no longer part of Google's weather apps in any way, shape, or form. Unsurprisingly, many users were dismayed by the news when the update rolled out, with several considering jumping ship to an alternative Android weather app or widget based on posts on the Google Pixel subreddit, where users have expressed they are "heartbroken" over the loss of Froggy. 

Fans who wondered where Froggy disappeared to finally got an answer, at least. In an October edition of the Made by Google Podcast, the Pixel Weather team explained what happened to Froggy. In short, the team behind the app felt that Froggy did not fit the new design and aesthetic.

"It was a tough decision, because as a character, you see basically half the population loves him, and half the population has a different feeling of him. And we didn't want to only cater to one side," the Pixel Weather team said on the podcast. 

For the team at Google, the focus was solely on making its Weather app better, as it is one of the most frequently used apps of any user. "It's time to really give that out-of-the-box premium experience to our users," they said. "So that something that you check this many times, at least during the week and definitely during the day, is ready right when you set up your phone." 

It is worth noting that Google made several other interesting updates to its weather app, though some may not be live yet for everyone. Either way, that is pretty much the story of Froggy's departure from Google Weather, and there's currently no indication that the beloved amphibian will make a return.