PER007 – Storm Watch Face

First Impression

I’ll be honest, when my son first showed me this app on his fancy watch, I thought it looked like something from a sci-fi movie. I’m not good with new gadgets. My iPhone 14 does what I need it to do, and I mostly ignore the rest. But last winter, I got caught in a surprise hailstorm while walking back from the grocery store on a Tuesday afternoon. My phone was buried in my purse, my hands were full of bags, and I was soaked through before I even knew what hit me. That’s when I decided I needed something simpler. Something right there on my wrist. So I bought the PER007 – Storm Watch Face app. Setting it up wasn’t instant—I did have to ask my grandson for help with the first sync—but once it was on, I was impressed. The screen was clear and bright, even outside. I could see the temperature and a little storm icon without squinting. That first week, I kept looking at it just because I could. It felt satisfying.

What It Does Well

The main thing I like is how it shows me the basics at a glance. Temperature, wind, and if rain is coming. I don’t need fancy graphs or hour-by-hour breakdowns. I just need to know if I should grab an umbrella before heading to my bridge club on Thursday mornings. The watch face itself is handsome. It’s got a clean, dark look with a few colored accents. I chose a blue theme because it reminds me of the ocean. The numbers are big enough for my old eyes to read without grabbing my reading glasses, which is a huge plus. The built-in compass is also a nice touch. I used it last month when I was lost on a walking trail near Miller’s Pond. I thought I was heading north but I was actually going east. The app helped me turn around before I ended up in the next county. The barometer I don’t fully understand, but it seems to work. The alerts are helpful too. I got a notification last Saturday night about a thunderstorm watch, and I was able to bring in my patio cushions before the wind kicked up. That was a real win. For an old-timer like me, it does exactly what I bought it to do without unnecessary clutter.

Where It Falls Short

It’s not perfect, though. Not by a long shot. First, the customization sounds great on paper, but actually changing things is a bit of a puzzle. I wanted to swap the humidity reading for a simple “feels like” temperature, and I spent a good twenty minutes tapping around before giving up. My grandson fixed it for me later, but the menus aren’t laid out in a way that makes sense to someone like me. Words like “complications” mean nothing. Why not just say “add-ons” or “extra info squares”? Second, the app crashed a few times during heavy rain. The screen froze and showed a blank face. I had to restart my watch to get it back. That’s not helpful when you’re trying to see if the storm is passing. Third, the battery drain is noticeable. My iPhone 14 usually lasts me all day without a problem. But on days I have the watch face running with the live weather updates, my phone feels warmer and the battery drops faster. I’ve started turning off the app when I’m sitting at home just to save power. That’s an extra step I didn’t want to have to remember.

Is It Worth the Price?

I paid a few dollars for it, and honestly, I don’t regret it. But I’m not jumping for joy either. For the convenience of having weather info right on my wrist, it’s fine. I don’t feel cheated. But I also can’t say it’s a must-have. There are free weather apps that do almost the same thing if you’re willing to tap your phone. I keep this one because it’s already set up and I’m used to the look. If it broke tomorrow, would I buy it again? Probably not. I’d try something else first. But for what it is—a simple, good-looking weather watch face—it’s okay. Not a bargain, not a rip-off. Just okay.

Developer & Support

Here’s where things get a little frustrating. I had a problem with the app not updating the temperature correctly for three straight days. My watch said it was 72 degrees outside, but my porch thermometer said 81. I sent a message through the app’s support page. It took them four days to reply. And when they did, the answer was vague. Something like “try restarting the device and make sure location services are enabled.” I had already done that. I wrote back, and this time I waited a week with no response at all. I finally fixed the problem myself by uninstalling and reinstalling the app, which I didn’t want to do because I was nervous I’d lose my settings. But the entire experience left me feeling like they don’t really care about users who aren’t tech experts. I’m not asking for a phone call, but a simple, clear, helpful reply would have gone a long way.

Privacy & Safety

Privacy is a big deal to me. I don’t like the idea of an app tracking where I am every second. This app needs location access to give you the local weather, which makes sense. But it also asked for permission to access my health data and my activity rings. That made me uncomfortable. I denied that request. I only use the weather features. I did read their privacy policy once—it was long and full of legal words, so I understood about half of it. It mentions sharing data with third parties for analytics, which I don’t love. But honestly, that seems to be the case with most apps these days. I’ll keep it on my watch, but I’m careful not to give it more access than it absolutely needs. It’s not the worst offender, but I wish developers would be more upfront about what they collect and why.