A year ago, Google Pixel Launcher and the At a Glance Widget started showing users local bad weather warnings but in the past few hours, this system has generated some unmotivated panic among Google Pixel users due to an error.
A little worry about a mistake
Upon awakening, in fact, the owners of one of Google’s smartphones began to see a Public storm warning which in reality concerned only the Philippines but which ended up being displayed globally (in particular, this warning was shown on the AOD screen, on the lock screen and also on the main screen).
The most attentive users, however, immediately understood that it could be an error, as the warning was issued by “PAGASA” (Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration), ie the body that manages atmospheric services, geophysicists and astronomers of the Philippines.
Reports of this globally misleading warning have come from the United States, Canada, and Europe, and many users have likely been frightened by the imminent arrival of a severe storm.
How to disable Google Pixel Launcher alerts
If you have been a victim of this error and want to prevent it from happening in the future, you can disable the Pixel Launcher and Widget At a Glance weather alert system by following a simple procedure.
In fact, just keep pressing for a long time on an empty part of the screen, select Customize, then the gear icon (next to At a Glance) and finally click on the Alerts option.
Despite this error, in any case, the warning functionality studied by Google must be recognized as being of considerable utility, especially for those who have to travel every day and, therefore, may have great interest in always being informed about the possible dangers that the weather reserves for us.