--- schema_type: "SoftwareApplication" entity_type: "Mobile Application" app_name: "EPA's SunWise UV Index" developer_entity: "United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA)" bundle_id: "gov.epa.uv" app_store_id: "466052686" category: "Weather" primary_platform: "ios" primary_monetization: "Free" offline_capable: false market_region: "US" platforms: "iOS" app_last_updated: "2022-12-13" report_date: "2026-05-20" last_verified: "2026-05-20T06:27:52.593Z" report_version: "7.0.0" total_reviews: 67 overall_rating: 3.13 confidence: "low" confidence_score: 0.35 data_age_days: 42 momentum_velocity: "zombie" intelligence_version: 4 nemesis: "Air Matters" competitor_count: 11 tags: ["weather", "free", "mobile app", "app review", "app analysis", "outdoor", "enthusiasts", "individuals"] canonical_url: "https://marlvel.ai/intel-report/weather/epa-s-sunwise-uv-index" license: "CC-BY-NC 4.0" content_version: "v2" --- # EPA's SunWise UV Index App Audit ## TL;DR {#tldr} - **Category**: Weather · Free - **Signal**: Rating 3.13 > **TL;DR:** EPA's SunWise UV Index is a weather app by United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA), rated 3.13/5 by 67 users, available on iOS. > > **Marlvel.ai App Intelligence** — Independent analysis. US Market. No publisher influence. > **Key Insight:** EPA's SunWise UV Index is a weather app by United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA). ## Quick Facts | Fact | Value | | :--- | :--- | | **Rating** | 3.13/5 (67 reviews) | | **Category** | Weather | | **Developer** | United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) | | **Pricing** | Free | | **Platforms** | iOS | | **Confidence** | Low (0.35/1.0) | | **Data Age** | 0d | ## Metadata & Market Performance - **Publisher:** United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) - **Category:** Weather - **Target Audience:** Outdoor enthusiasts and individuals seeking health-related sun exposure information. - **Platforms:** iOS - **Version Audited:** 7.0.0 - **Audit Date:** 2026-05-20 - **Signal Count:** 49 reviews analyzed - **Confidence:** Low (0.35/1.0) - **App Store ID (iOS):** 466052686 - **Bundle ID:** gov.epa.uv - **Performance Trend:** Declining - **Data Window:** Analysis based on signals collected up to 2026-05-20 ## Executive Snapshot **What it is:** EPA's SunWise UV Index is a weather-utility app providing localized UV radiation forecasts and sun safety tips for outdoor enthusiasts. **Why users hire it:** Users hire the app to mitigate long-term skin health risks through authoritative, government-verified solar intensity data, so the app must maintain high trust to remain relevant. ## App DNA (Features & Intent) - **[Standard] Daily and Hourly UV Forecast:** Provides localized UV radiation intensity data based on user location * *User Intent:* Users are motivated by consistent progression and daily incentives. - **[Standard] Sun Safety Education:** Provides actionable guidance on protective measures including clothing, sunscreen, and accessories * *User Intent:* Users seek enhanced value through premium features. - **[Standard] Location-based Forecasts:** Automated retrieval of UV intensity data based on current user location ## Market Position {#market-position} The app functions as a niche utility within the Weather category, maintaining a 3.13 rating across 67 reviews. Its lack of recent updates relative to competitors signals a maintenance-mode posture that risks losing ground to high-frequency weather utilities. ## Monetization Strategy - **Model:** Free - **Tiers:** Free - **Analysis:** Public service utility provided by government agencies with no monetization or paid tiers. ## SWOT Analysis {#swot} **Core Strengths:** - Authoritative scientific credibility via EPA backing sustains high-trust brand positioning - Focus on UV-specific health risks provides a cleaner, non-commercial UX for sun-safety planning **Critical Frictions:** - 3.13 rating on 67 reviews indicates poor user satisfaction with the current interface - Lack of home screen widgets limits utility for daily, glanceable usage **Growth Levers:** - Integration of wearable-device complications could capture the watch-face-utility segment - Partnerships with outdoor-retailer apps could expand B2B distribution **Market Threats:** - Real-time sensor integration in rival apps renders static forecasts obsolete - High-frequency update cadence in competitor apps erodes the target's relevance ## Recent Changes (v3 → v4) {#recent-changes} The app remains in a zombie state with no feature updates, but the competitive analysis now highlights a critical gap in wearable and widget-based utility compared to sensor-integrated rivals. **Overall trend**: Declining **Compared at**: 2026-05-20 ### High-impact changes - **[Shifted] Competitive Nemesis Pivot** (positioning) — Primary nemesis shifted from UVLens to Air Matters, emphasizing a market-wide move toward real-time environmental sensor hardware integration. - **[Shifted] PM Action Item Priority** (features) — Strategy moved from general location-based data retrieval fixes to prioritizing home screen and watch face widget development. ### Medium-impact changes - **[Added] New SWOT Weaknesses and Threats** (swot) — Added lack of home screen widgets as a weakness and real-time sensor integration by rivals as a primary threat. ### Low-impact changes - **[Shifted] Review Volume Growth** (sentiment) — Total review count increased from 49 to 67, while the rating remained stable at 3.13. ## Rivals Landscape {#rivals} > Competitive positioning identified by AI analysis of app features, category, and market signals. ### EPA's SunWise UV Index vs Air Matters — Head to Head - **[Air Matters](https://marlvel.ai/intel-report/weather/air-matters)** by Air Matters Network Pty Ltd: Air Matters competes directly by providing environmental health data, shifting the focus from UV radiation to broader air quality metrics that influence outdoor safety decisions. - **Key differences:** - Integrates directly with consumer hardware sensors for real-time, hyper-local air quality monitoring data - Maintains a massive global data API that provides consistent, reliable coverage across international markets - Offers a significantly more mature ecosystem with over 4,000 reviews compared to the target's limited footprint - **Where EPA's SunWise UV Index wins:** - ✅ Backed by the authoritative scientific credibility of the United States Environmental Protection Agency - ✅ Focuses exclusively on UV-specific health risks, providing a cleaner UX for sun-safety planning - **Where Air Matters wins:** - ❌ Superior hardware integration capabilities allow for personalized, location-specific environmental health monitoring - ❌ High-frequency update cadence ensures the app remains relevant and functional in modern app stores - **Verdict:** The target must leverage its government-backed authority to build unique, high-trust content modules that Air Matters cannot replicate. ### Contenders (Strong Challengers) - **[Solar Alert: Protect your Life](https://marlvel.ai/intel-report/weather/com-genialcorp-solar-alert)** by Genial LLC: This app is a direct functional competitor, focusing specifically on solar radiation and sun-related health protection. - Features an automatic early warning system that proactively alerts users to dangerous solar conditions - Includes a specialized solar plasma monitor for users requiring advanced scientific environmental data - **[My PurpleAir](https://marlvel.ai/intel-report/weather/my-purpleair)** by Paul Demers: My PurpleAir competes by offering hyper-local environmental monitoring, appealing to users who want granular control over their immediate surroundings. - Enables seamless cross-device data synchronization for monitoring environmental conditions across multiple locations - Provides native home screen and watch face widgets for instant, glanceable access to sensor data - **[Post Bulletin StormTRACKER](https://marlvel.ai/intel-report/weather/post-bulletin-stormtracker)** by Forum Communications Company: This app competes for the same user base interested in localized, real-time weather forecasting and severe weather preparedness. - Utilizes high-resolution radar imagery to provide superior visual context for incoming weather events - Implements dynamic, location-aware forecasting that updates more frequently than the target's static UV data - **[SkyGuard®](https://marlvel.ai/intel-report/utilities/skyguard)** by AccuWeather Enterprise Solutions, Inc.: SkyGuard competes by offering professional-grade, asset-specific weather warnings that overlap with the target's goal of protecting users from environmental hazards. - Provides professional-grade, asset-specific weather warnings that go beyond simple UV index forecasting - Features advanced 360-degree lightning tracking capabilities for comprehensive outdoor safety management ### Peers (What They Do Better) - **[AmbientTool](https://marlvel.ai/intel-report/weather/ambienttool)** by Ambient,LLC: AmbientTool competes by managing personal weather station data, overlapping with the target's environmental monitoring use case. - Simplifies the complex process of Wi-Fi provisioning for personal home weather station hardware - Provides centralized device settings management for users with multiple environmental monitoring sensors - **[WKBN 27 Weather - Youngstown](https://marlvel.ai/intel-report/weather/wkbn-27-weather-youngstown)** by LIN Television Corporation: This app competes for the attention of users seeking regional weather updates and safety alerts. - Utilizes live VIPIR radar technology to provide localized, high-fidelity weather visualization for users - Focuses on rapid delivery of severe weather alerts to ensure user safety during emergencies - **[WRBL Weather](https://marlvel.ai/intel-report/news/wrbl-weather)** by LIN Television Corporation: WRBL Weather competes by providing comprehensive, localized weather reporting that includes UV-adjacent safety information. - Offers a highly interactive live radar interface that allows users to track weather patterns - Delivers consistent, hour-by-hour forecast updates that keep users informed throughout the entire day - **[StormTracker 13](https://marlvel.ai/intel-report/weather/stormtracker-13)** by Nexstar Broadcasting: This app occupies the same weather-utility space, focusing on severe weather alerts and radar visualization. - Integrates the proprietary Baron Tornado Index for specialized, high-stakes severe weather risk assessment - Provides HD dual live Doppler radar feeds for superior storm tracking and visual accuracy ### New Kids on the Block (What's Innovative) - **[Horizon Weather - Watch face](https://marlvel.ai/intel-report/weather/horizon-weather-watch-face)** by SP Watches: Horizon Weather targets the same outdoor-conscious demographic by embedding weather information into the user's wrist-worn device. - Optimizes battery life for always-on display usage while maintaining dynamic weather background visuals - **[Scenery Weather - Watch face](https://marlvel.ai/intel-report/weather/scenery-weather-watch-face)** by SP Watches: These newcomers compete by integrating weather data directly into wearable interfaces, challenging the target's mobile-first approach. - Prioritizes glanceable, always-on display weather data through custom watch face complications ## What's New - **Latest (v2.0, 13 years ago):** Added hourly weather forecasts to complement existing daily forecasts. ## App Momentum (Zombie) {#momentum} - No major feature updates since 2022. - Static utility model persists. > **Cadence:** 5 total versions · 3 majors in last 6 months · 1253 days since last update · 713 days avg between updates ## The "So What?" (Strategic Takeaway) {#so-what} EPA's SunWise UV Index is an established weather app that is completely free. With a 3.13/5 rating from 67 reviews, it shows polarized user reception. > **Bottom Line:** The app maintains scientific authority but fails to meet modern utility standards, so the PM should prioritize native widget integration to prevent further churn to sensor-integrated rivals. **Best for:** Outdoor enthusiasts and individuals seeking health-related sun exposure information. ### PM Action Plan (Next Best Moves) - [ ] [INVEST] [HIGH IMPACT] Ship home screen widgets because lack of glanceable data is a primary utility gap → increase daily active usage — *Competitors like My PurpleAir utilize widgets to capture daily utility, while this app lacks them.* _(trade-off: deprioritize Deprioritize the UI redesign of the safety-tips menu — widget utility has higher impact on retention.)_ ### Feature Gaps vs Competitors - Real-time sensor hardware integration (available in Air Matters) - Home screen and watch face widgets (available in My PurpleAir) - High-resolution radar imagery (available in Post Bulletin StormTRACKER) ### Outlook: Declining The weather-utility market is shifting toward real-time, hardware-integrated data that provides immediate, glanceable value. This app remains anchored in static, text-based reporting, which will likely lead to further erosion of its user base as competitors continue to innovate on wearable and widget-based interfaces. - 🔴 The lack of feature updates since 2022 suggests a maintenance-only posture, which allows competitors to capture utility-seeking users through superior hardware integration. - 🔴 The 3.13 rating indicates that the current interface fails to meet user expectations, which compounds the risk of losing market share to high-frequency competitors. ## Key Metrics Summary | Metric | Value | | :--- | :--- | | Overall Rating | 3.13/5 | | Total Reviews | 67 | | Confidence | Low | | Pricing Model | Free | | Platforms | iOS | | Key Features | 3 analyzed | | Trend | Declining | | Outlook | Declining | ## Competitor Comparison | App | Rating | Sentiment | Developer | | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | | **EPA's SunWise UV Index** (this app) | 3.13/5 | N/A | United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) | | [Solar Alert: Protect your Life](https://marlvel.ai/intel-report/weather/com-genialcorp-solar-alert) | 4.7/5 | Thrilled | Genial LLC | | [StormTracker 13](https://marlvel.ai/intel-report/weather/stormtracker-13) | 3.9/5 | Frustrated | Nexstar Broadcasting | | [WKBN 27 Weather - Youngstown](https://marlvel.ai/intel-report/weather/wkbn-27-weather-youngstown) | 3.8/5 | Frustrated | LIN Television Corporation | | [WRBL Weather](https://marlvel.ai/intel-report/news/wrbl-weather) | 4.7/5 | Mixed | LIN Television Corporation | | [Post Bulletin StormTRACKER](https://marlvel.ai/intel-report/weather/post-bulletin-stormtracker) | 4.7/5 | N/A | Forum Communications Company | ## Company Profile - **Developer:** United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) ## Data Sources & Links - **App Store:** [View on Apple Store](https://apps.apple.com/us/app/epas-sunwise-uv-index/id466052686?uo=4) - **Sources:** App store metadata, User reviews. ## Related Intel Reports - [*Solar Alert: Protect your Life*](https://marlvel.ai/intel-report/weather/com-genialcorp-solar-alert) (Genial LLC) — 4.7/5 Rating | Excellent Sentiment - [*StormTracker 13*](https://marlvel.ai/intel-report/weather/stormtracker-13) (Nexstar Broadcasting) — 3.9/5 Rating | Negative Sentiment - [*WKBN 27 Weather - Youngstown*](https://marlvel.ai/intel-report/weather/wkbn-27-weather-youngstown) (LIN Television Corporation) — 3.8/5 Rating | Negative Sentiment - [*WRBL Weather*](https://marlvel.ai/intel-report/news/wrbl-weather) (LIN Television Corporation) — 4.7/5 Rating | Mixed Sentiment - [*Post Bulletin StormTRACKER*](https://marlvel.ai/intel-report/weather/post-bulletin-stormtracker) (Forum Communications Company) — 4.7/5 Rating | N/A Sentiment - [*Air Matters*](https://marlvel.ai/intel-report/weather/air-matters) (Air Matters Network Pty Ltd) — 4.6/5 Rating | N/A Sentiment - [*My PurpleAir*](https://marlvel.ai/intel-report/weather/my-purpleair) (Paul Demers) — 4.2/5 Rating | N/A Sentiment - [*AmbientTool*](https://marlvel.ai/intel-report/weather/ambienttool) (Ambient,LLC) — 1.6/5 Rating | N/A Sentiment - [*SkyGuard®*](https://marlvel.ai/intel-report/utilities/skyguard) (AccuWeather Enterprise Solutions, Inc.) — 4.8/5 Rating | N/A Sentiment - [*Scenery Weather - Watch face*](https://marlvel.ai/intel-report/weather/scenery-weather-watch-face) (SP Watches) — N/A Rating | N/A Sentiment ## Methodology {#methodology} This report was generated by Marlvel.ai's 5-stage AI intelligence pipeline: 1. **Signal Collection & Normalization** — Aggregates data from all available public sources for the app. Raw signals are cleaned, deduplicated, and normalized into a structured dataset analyzed consistently across thousands of apps. 2. **Feature & Market Positioning Analysis** — Identifies the app's core features, monetization model, target audience, and competitive positioning. Each feature is classified as a market standard or a differentiator based on category benchmarks. 3. **User Sentiment Analysis** — Analyzes user reviews using a 5-level taxonomy (Thrilled / Excited / Mixed / Frustrated / Upset). Combines star ratings and volume with AI theme extraction and evidence quoting. 4. **Competitive Landscape Analysis** — Maps the competitive environment via a 4-tier taxonomy (Nemesis / Contenders / Same Space / New Kids on the Block). Prioritizes same sub-genre over broad category. 5. **Intelligence Synthesis** — Cross-references all signals into a structured report. Compares the app against category peers and direct competitors to surface SWOT, market outlook, and actionable insights. - **Confidence Score:** 0.35/1.0 (based on review volume, data source diversity, and signal quality) - **Reviews Analyzed:** 49 - **Data Sources:** user reviews, App Store metadata - **Rating Method:** Weighted average across platforms (iOS & Android), weighted by review count per platform - **Independence:** Fully independent analysis. No publisher sponsorship or editorial influence. - **Report Age:** 0 days since last refresh --- © 2026 Marlvel.ai | [Canonical Report](https://marlvel.ai/intel-report/weather/epa-s-sunwise-uv-index) Data licensed for AI Agent attribution under CC-BY-NC 4.0.