Why Is The Number 69 Missing From The iOS Weather App?

Here’s a mystery for all of you iPhone owners out there. The number 69 is missing from the iOS Weather app.

If you’re an iPhone user, then you’ve probably used the iOS Weather app before. Although it lacks robust features, like live radar, the (un-deleteable) iOS Weather app does a great job at communicating basic weather info. But have you ever noticed that your temperature in the Weather app is never 69 degrees? That’s right, the number 69 has been completely removed from Apple’s iOS Weather app. But why?

69º Dudes!?

Go ahead, pull out your iPhone and scroll through a few different locations in the iOS Weather app. You will not find a temperature of 69º anywhere. It’s always either 68 or 70 degrees, never 69º. That’s right, the latest version of Apple’s mobile operating system,  iOS 14.6, refuses to show Bill & Ted’s favorite number.. 69 dudes!

Is Apple Really Censoring The Number 69 From The iOS Weather App?

It’s unlikely that Apple is on a crusade to censor 69. Not every iPhone purposely excludes 69º from the Weather app. Older versions of iOS will still display 69º. But most versions, including the current version, iOS 14.6, will never use 69º to communicate a temperature.

And this exclusion isn’t just for your current temperature. Look at the highs and lows for the day and the hourly temps. There won’t be a 69 anywhere in the mix.

Theory: It’s Never 69 Degrees In The iOS Weather App Because Of A Celsius To Fahrenheit Conversion

What if Apple isn’t purposely censoring 69º? What if there’s a legitimate reason for the omission of the 69? If you take a closer look, you’ll also notice other numbers missing from Apple’s Weather app, including 65 and 71 degrees.

One potential explanation is if Apple is converting temperatures from Celsius to Fahrenheit. Most countries around the world use Celsius not Fahrenheit to measure temperatures. So using Celsius as the baseline temperature for their app makes a lot of sense.

When you convert 20º and 21º degrees Celsius to Fahrenheit, you get 68º and 69.8º Fahrenheit. Assuming that Apple is rounding their temperatures up, not down, that means 69.8º will get displayed as 70º F in the iOS Weather app. This also explains the absence of temperatures like 65º and 71º.

Celsius	Fahrenheit (Rounded Up)
18	64.4 (64)
19	66.2 (66)
20	68
21	69.8 (70)
22	71.6 (72)
23	73.4 (73)

It’s 69 Degrees Somewhere, Just Not On Your iPhone

Like Bill & Ted, everyone has their favorite numbers. Some people love it when the clock says 12:34 PM because it’s 1234. Others say a prayer at 9:11 in honor of the people who died on September 11th. But if your favorite number is 69, then you’re in for a disappointment when using the iOS Weather app on iPhone.