--- 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: "2026-08-07" last_verified: "2026-08-07T00:00:00.000Z" report_version: "7.0.0" total_reviews: 67 overall_rating: 3.1 sentiment: "Frustrated" sentiment_score: 35 confidence: "medium" confidence_score: 0.4 top_praise_theme: "The application provides accurate UV index data that helps photosensitive users plan their daily outdoor activities" top_complaint_theme: "The application fails to load data or displays blank screens consistently following the latest update" review_sample_size: 49 total_review_count: 49 analyzed_review_count: 49 data_age_days: 9 momentum_velocity: "zombie" intelligence_version: 8 nemesis: "Air Matters" competitor_count: 11 tags: ["weather", "free", "frustrated sentiment", "mobile app", "app review", "app analysis", "individuals", "planning", "outdoor"] canonical_url: "https://marlvel.ai/apps/epa-s-sunwise-uv-index" license: "CC-BY-NC 4.0" content_version: "v2" --- # EPA's SunWise UV Index Intelligence Report ## TL;DR {#tldr} - **Category**: Weather · Free - **Signal**: Rating 3.13 · Sentiment Frustrated - **Recent focus**: The application fails to load data or displays blank screens consistently following the latest update (top complaint) · The application provides accurate UV index data that helps photosensitive users plan their daily outdoor activities (top praise) > **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, with Frustrated user sentiment (35/100), available on iOS. > > **Marlvel.ai App Intelligence** - Independent analysis. US Market. No publisher influence. > **Key Insight:** EPA's SunWise UV Index faces Frustrated user sentiment (3.13/5 from 67 reviews), with users reporting the application fails to load data or displays blank screens consistently following the latest update as the primary concern. ## Quick Facts | Fact | Value | | :--- | :--- | | **Rating** | 3.13/5 (67 reviews) | | **User Mood** | Frustrated | | **Category** | Weather | | **Developer** | United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) | | **Pricing** | Free | | **Platforms** | iOS | | **Confidence** | Medium (0.4/1.0) | | **Data Age** | 9d | ## Metadata & Market Performance - **Publisher:** United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) - **Category:** Weather - **Target Audience:** Individuals planning outdoor activities who require sun safety information and UV radiation monitoring. - **Platforms:** iOS - **Version Reviewed:** 7.0.0 - **Report Date:** 2026-08-07 - **Signal Count:** 49 reviews analyzed - **Confidence:** Medium (0.4/1.0) - **App Store ID (iOS):** 466052686 - **Bundle ID:** gov.epa.uv - **Performance Trend:** Declining - **Data Window:** Analysis based on signals collected up to 2026-08-07 ## Executive Snapshot **What it is:** EPA's SunWise UV Index is a free, ad-free weather utility providing UV radiation forecasts and sun safety education on iOS. **Why users hire it:** Users hire this app to manage sun exposure risks based on authoritative government data, but the current technical instability prevents them from completing this job-to-be-done. ## App DNA (Features & Intent) - **[Standard] UV Index Forecast:** Daily and hourly forecasts of ultraviolet radiation intensity based on location. * *User Intent:* Users are motivated by consistent progression and daily incentives. - **[Standard] Sun Safety Education:** Guidelines on protective clothing and sunscreen usage. * *User Intent:* Users need clear guidance to understand and adopt the product quickly. ## Market Position {#market-position} The app maintains a 3.13-star rating across 67 total reviews, reflecting significant user frustration following the latest update. Its lack of monetization and government-backed status positions it as a niche utility rather than a commercial competitor. ## Monetization Strategy - **Model:** Free - **Tiers:** Free - **Analysis:** The app is a public service utility with no monetization. ## 🔴 User Sentiment (Medium Confidence: 49 of 49 reviews analyzed) {#user-sentiment} - **Overall Rating:** 3.13/5 - **Platform Split:** iOS 3.1/5 (67 ratings) - **Overall Sentiment:** Frustrated ### Top Praises - **The application provides accurate UV index data that helps photosensitive users plan their daily outdoor activities** - **The interface remains free of advertisements which allows for a clean and distraction-free user experience** ### Top Complaints (Impact Areas) - **The application fails to load data or displays blank screens consistently following the latest update** ## SWOT Analysis {#swot} **Core Strengths:** - Scientific credibility backed by EPA/CDC - Ad-free, clean utility-focused interface **Growth Levers:** - Integration with wearable devices for alerts - B2B partnerships for public health education ## Recent Changes (v7 → v8) {#recent-changes} The app's competitive position remains stagnant, with new technical complaints regarding tablet usability and a more critical assessment of its maintenance-mode status. **Overall trend**: Declining **Compared at**: 2026-08-07 ### High-impact changes - **[Declined] New Tablet Usability Complaints** (sentiment) ### Medium-impact changes - **[Added] Update Dormancy as a Threat** (swot) - **[Shifted] Liability Re-framing** (positioning) ### Low-impact changes - **[Shifted] Executive Summary Tone** (positioning) ## Rivals Landscape {#rivals} > Competitive positioning identified by AI analysis of app features, category, and market signals. ### EPA's SunWise UV Index vs Air Matters - **[Air Matters](https://marlvel.ai/apps/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 this app's limited footprint ### Contenders (Strong Challengers) - **[SkyGuard®](https://marlvel.ai/apps/skyguard)** by AccuWeather Enterprise Solutions, Inc.: SkyGuard competes by offering professional-grade, asset-specific weather warnings that overlap with this app'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 - **[Post Bulletin StormTRACKER](https://marlvel.ai/apps/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 this app's static UV data - **[My PurpleAir](https://marlvel.ai/apps/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 - **[Solar Alert: Protect your Life](https://marlvel.ai/apps/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 ### Peers (What They Do Better) - **[StormTracker 13](https://marlvel.ai/apps/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 - **[WRBL Weather](https://marlvel.ai/apps/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 - **[WKBN 27 Weather - Youngstown](https://marlvel.ai/apps/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 - **[AmbientTool](https://marlvel.ai/apps/ambienttool)** by Ambient,LLC: AmbientTool competes by managing personal weather station data, overlapping with this app'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 ### New Kids on the Block (What's Innovative) - **[Scenery Weather - Watch face](https://marlvel.ai/apps/scenery-weather-watch-face)** by SP Watches: These newcomers compete by integrating weather data directly into wearable interfaces, challenging this app's mobile-first approach. - Prioritizes glanceable, always-on display weather data through custom watch face complications - **[Horizon Weather - Watch face](https://marlvel.ai/apps/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 ## What's New - **Latest (v2.0, 13 years ago):** Added hourly weather forecasts to complement existing daily forecasts. ## App Momentum (Zombie) {#momentum} - Quiet 41 months, bug fixes only. - Last major release Dec 2022. > **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 a weather app that is completely free. With a 3.13/5 rating from 67 reviews, it faces significant user friction. > **Bottom Line:** EPA's SunWise UV Index retains high-trust authority through its government backing, but the lack of proactive alerts and persistent technical failures alienate the core user base, so the team must prioritize stability fixes before attempting feature expansion. **Best for:** Individuals planning outdoor activities who require sun safety information and UV radiation monitoring. ### PM Action Plan (Next Best Moves) - [ ] [MAINTAIN] Audit data-loading logic because blank screens are the primary churn driver post-update → restore baseline functionality. ### Feature Gaps vs Competitors - Real-time hyper-local sensor integration (available in Air Matters but absent here) ### Outlook: Declining The UV-utility market is consolidating around apps that offer proactive, wearable-integrated alerts. EPA's SunWise UV Index remains in a maintenance-mode posture that fails to meet basic reliability standards, so the app will likely continue to lose users to commercial rivals unless technical stability is restored. - 🔴 Persistent data-loading failures post-update prevent core utility, which compounds the rating drag already visible on the platform. - 🔴 The 1,333-day update dormancy signals a lack of active maintenance, leaving the app vulnerable to modern, feature-rich competitors. ## Key Metrics Summary | Metric | Value | | :--- | :--- | | Overall Rating | 3.13/5 | | Total Reviews | 67 | | Sentiment | Frustrated (35/100) | | Confidence | Medium | | Pricing Model | Free | | Platforms | iOS | | Key Features | 2 analyzed | | Trend | Declining | | Outlook | Declining | ## Competitor Comparison | App | Rating | Sentiment | Developer | | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | | **EPA's SunWise UV Index** (this app) | 3.13/5 | Frustrated | United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) | | [Solar Alert: Protect your Life](https://marlvel.ai/apps/com-genialcorp-solar-alert) | 4.7/5 | Thrilled | Genial LLC | | [StormTracker 13](https://marlvel.ai/apps/stormtracker-13) | 3.9/5 | Mixed | Nexstar Broadcasting | | [WKBN 27 Weather - Youngstown](https://marlvel.ai/apps/wkbn-27-weather-youngstown) | 3.8/5 | Mixed | LIN Television Corporation | | [WRBL Weather](https://marlvel.ai/apps/wrbl-weather) | 4.7/5 | N/A | LIN Television Corporation | | [Post Bulletin StormTRACKER](https://marlvel.ai/apps/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/apps/com-genialcorp-solar-alert) (Genial LLC) · 4.7/5 Rating | Excellent Sentiment - [*StormTracker 13*](https://marlvel.ai/apps/stormtracker-13) (Nexstar Broadcasting) · 3.9/5 Rating - [*WKBN 27 Weather - Youngstown*](https://marlvel.ai/apps/wkbn-27-weather-youngstown) (LIN Television Corporation) · 3.8/5 Rating - [*WRBL Weather*](https://marlvel.ai/apps/wrbl-weather) (LIN Television Corporation) · 4.7/5 Rating - [*Post Bulletin StormTRACKER*](https://marlvel.ai/apps/post-bulletin-stormtracker) (Forum Communications Company) · 4.7/5 Rating - [*Air Matters*](https://marlvel.ai/apps/air-matters) (Air Matters Network Pty Ltd) · 4.6/5 Rating - [*My PurpleAir*](https://marlvel.ai/apps/my-purpleair) (Paul Demers) · 4.2/5 Rating - [*AmbientTool*](https://marlvel.ai/apps/ambienttool) (Ambient,LLC) · 1.6/5 Rating | Excellent Sentiment - [*SkyGuard®*](https://marlvel.ai/apps/skyguard) (AccuWeather Enterprise Solutions, Inc.) · 4.8/5 Rating - [*Scenery Weather - Watch face*](https://marlvel.ai/apps/scenery-weather-watch-face) (SP Watches) · N/A Rating ## 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 into synthesised themes (no verbatim quotes). 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:** 0.4/1.0 (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:** 9 days since last refresh --- © 2026 Marlvel.ai | [Canonical Report](https://marlvel.ai/apps/epa-s-sunwise-uv-index) Data licensed for AI Agent attribution under CC-BY-NC 4.0.