A new update for Pokémon GO is now available for iOS and Android. Details of the update were announced on Niantic's site.

Pokémon GO updated to version 0.43.3 for Android and 1.13.3 for iOS

Trainers, Pokémon GO is in the process of being updated to version 0.43.3 for Android and 1.13.3 for iOS devices. Below are some release notes and comments from our development team.

• Professor Willow discovered that Eggs have different patterns depending on the distance required to hatch them.
• Pokémon type icons have been added to the information screen for each Pokémon.
• Low battery indicator added for the Pokémon GO Plus.
• Minor text fixes

Source: http://pokemongolive.com/en/post/ver-update-102316/

Niantic announced a new promotion for Halloween 2016 that takes place from October 26th, 2016 until November 1st, 2016.

Halloween is approaching...

Trick-or-Treat, Trainers! It’s Halloween season and we have a treat for you! From October 26th to November 1st, you’ll earn double the amount of Candy every time you catch, hatch and transfer Pokémon! Don’t forget your Buddy Pokémon, because they will help you earn Candy four times as fast.

If you encounter more spooky Pokémon than normal, don’t be startled, they want to enjoy the fun too! Scare up some friends, grab your buddy and enjoy this spooky, fun celebration with us! Happy Halloween!


Source; http://pokemongo.nianticlabs.com/en/post/halloween2016/

Niantic announced that a new Capture Bonus to increase the odds of catching rare Pokémon in Pokémon GO will be coming to the game soon.

Earn a New Capture Bonus to Increase the Odds of Catching Rare Pokémon

Trainers, We want to give you a sneak peek of a feature coming soon to Pokémon GO. We are adding a new feature which grants a catch bonus when you earn medals based on catching certain types of Pokémon (Kindler, Psychic, Gardener, etc.). These new bonuses will give you a better chance of capturing Pokémon with a related type. For example, as you reach a higher tier for the Kindler Medal, your bonus to catch Fire-type Pokémon such as Charmander, Vulpix and Ponyta increases.

Trainers can work their way to a new tier by catching many Pokémon of the same type. If a Pokémon has multiple types, your bonus will be the average of your bonuses for each type. For example, Pidgey is both Normal and Flying type. Your bonus in this case would be the average of your Normal-type and Flying-type bonuses.

Look forward to this new feature coming soon!

Source: http://pokemongo.nianticlabs.com/en/post/elemental/

A new update for Pokémon GO is now available for iOS and Android. Details of the update were announced on Niantic's site.

Pokémon GO updated to version 0.39.0 for Android and 1.9.0 for iOS

Trainers, Pokémon GO is in the process of being updated to version 0.39.0 for Android and 1.9.0 for iOS devices. Below are some release notes and comments from our development team.

• Capture location: The location where a Pokémon was caught will now be displayed on their information screen.
• Pokémon GO Plus and Incense: Trainers can attempt to capture Pokémon they encounter from using Incense with the Pokémon GO Plus accessory.
• Minor bug fixes

We appreciate your continued support and have some exciting features and changes coming soon.

Source: http://pokemongo.nianticlabs.com/en/post/ver-update-092216/

On September 7th, 2016, Apple had a Special Event at San Francisco’s Bill Graham Civic Auditorium where they announced some their new products for the upcoming year. At the event, Niantic CEO John Hanke had a segment during the presentation where he discussed the current status of Pokémon GO.

Highlights from the September 7th, 2016 Event:

• 500 million copies of the game have been downloaded around the world since launching in July.
• Players have walked a cumulative 4.6 billion kilometers.
• Pokémon GO Plus launches on September 16th, 2016
• Pokémon GO Plus for Apple Watch will be released in 2016

POKÉMON GO EXCEEDS 500 MILLION DOWNLOADS WORLDWIDE

SAN FRANCISCO, CA — September 8, 2016 — The Pokémon Company and Niantic, Inc. announced today that Pokémon GO, the global mobile game that invites players to go out and explore their surroundings to find and catch Pokémon, has surpassed more than 500 million downloads around the world since launching in July. The game, which holds the App Store record for the most downloads in its first week of launch, is based on the iconic Pokémon franchise and is published and developed by Niantic, Inc.

Pokémon has been a leader in gaming and at the forefront of emerging technologies since the first game launched in Japan 20 years ago. The Pokémon brand quickly became a global sensation and hasn’t left the zeitgeist of popular culture since. Icons of the franchise, such as Pikachu, are beloved and recognized by generations of fans around the world and the brand’s total retail sales exceed $2 billion annually across video games, the Pokémon Trading Card Game, animation, licensing, and more.

“The phenomenal success of Pokémon GO during the brand’s 20-year celebration is an incredible reminder of how many people around the world love Pokémon,” said Tsunekazu Ishihara, president and CEO of The Pokémon Company. “The team at Niantic developed a unique experience that merges their expertise in cutting-edge location-based technologies with the beloved characters and classic gameplay of Pokémon. This ideal match of the right brand and the right technology has resonated with hundreds of millions of existing and new fans around the world.”

Earlier today at Apple’s event in San Francisco, Niantic unveiled early details about Pokémon GO for Apple Watch. Fans can look forward to Pokémon GO for Apple Watch to launch later in 2016.

“The globally loved Pokémon brand paired with Niantic’s platform and game design that encourages exploration, exercise and making real world social connections has inspired millions of people of all ages to go outdoors together,” said John Hanke, CEO of Niantic, Inc. “We are encouraged by the fast adoption of the game and are pleased to see so many people walk and play every day. Pokémon GO for Apple Watch will be another way people can incorporate the game into their daily lives, even more seamlessly.”

Apple – September Event 2016

Pokémon GO Plus Compatibility Information

IOS: Compatible with iPhone® 5 / 5c / 5s / SE / 6 / 6s /6 Plus / 6s Plus devices with iOS Ver. 8–9 installed.

• Not compatible with 5th generation iPod Touch devices or iPhone 4S or earlier iPhone devices.
• Compatibility with tablet devices is not guaranteed.
• Compatibility is not guaranteed for all devices.

Android: Compatible with Android devices that have 2 GB RAM or more, have Bluetooth Smart (Bluetooth Ver. 4.0 or higher) capability, and have Android Ver. 4.4–6.0 installed.

• Not compatible with Android devices that use Intel Atom processors.
• Compatibility with tablet devices is not guaranteed.
• Application may not run on certain devices even if they have compatible OS versions installed.
• Recommended Devices: Android Devices: AQUOS Xx2 mini, AQUOS Xx3 506SH, ARROWS Fit F-01H, Galaxy A8 SCV32, GALAXY Active neo SC-01H, GALAXY Note Edge, Nexus 5, Nexus 6(XT1100), Nexus 6P(Softbank), Qua phone KYV37, TORQUE G02 KYV35, Xperia Z2 SO-03F, Xperia Z3 SO-01G, Xperia Z5 Compact SO-02H

Notes:

• It is recommended to play while connected to a 3G/4G network in order to obtain accurate location information.
• Compatibility is not guaranteed for devices without GPS capabilities or devices that are connected only to Wi-Fi networks.
• Compatibility information may be changed at any time on either iOS or Android platforms.

Source: http://www.pokemongo.com/en-us/pokemon-go-plus/

The Pokémon GO panel at the 2016 San Diego Comic-Con was moved into the larger Hall H as the popularity of the game created a lot of fans. Niantic CEO John Hanke was at the panel discussing the game with host Chris Hardwick. During the panel, the Team Leaders were revealed. Team Valor: Candela. Team Mystic: Blanche. Team Instinct: Spark. Many in attendance were disappointed though with the lack of new details or update news and that no special Legendary Pokémon was distributed at the event panel.


Sources: https://twitter.com/PokemonGoApp/status/757328428169322496 and http://www.wired.com/2016/07/pokemon-go-closes-out-comic-con/

Pokémon GO has been all over the news this week with the public launch of the game in some countries. Niantic is currently addressing a few issues that have arisen before the game will be pushed to further countries. Below are a few of the news and issues that players should be aware of.

iOS version of Pokémon Go requests full access permission for the user's Google account

"We recently discovered that the Pokémon Go account creation process on iOS erroneously requests full access permission for the user's Google account. However, Pokémon Go only accesses basic Google profile information (specifically, your user ID and e-mail address) and no other Google account information is or has been accessed or collected. Once we became aware of this error, we began working on a client-side fix to request permission for only basic Google account information, in line with the data we actually access. Google has verified that no other information has been received or accessed by Pokémon Go or Niantic. Google will soon reduce Pokémon Go's permission to only the basic profile data that Pokémon Go needs, and users do not need to take any actions themselves." (Niantic)


Source: http://arstechnica.com/gaming/2016/07/pokemon-go-on-ios-gets-full-access-to-your-google-account/

Servers Overloaded causes a pause on the International Rollout of Pokémon Go

Niantic CEO John Hanke told Business Insider that they are aware of the problem many users are having with server availability and working hard on fixing the problem. While they fix the server capacity, the international rollout of the game to countries like the United Kingdom and the Netherlands is “paused until we’re comfortable”.

Source: http://www.businessinsider.com.au/pokemon-go-international-rollout-paused-2016-7

Pokémon GO sends Nintendo's Stock Soaring up 25%

Nintendo shares surged 25% in Tokyo on Monday, July 11th, 2016 as a result of the launch of the game a few days earlier and it's stock continued to rise on Tuesday up 34%. It has also boosted the market value of Nintendo Co. by over $9 billion.




Source: http://www.wsj.com/articles/pokemon-chasing-investors-send-nintendo-shares-soaring-1468228206

Infected Pokémon GO APK carries dangerous Android backdoor

While users maybe waiting for the game to launch in their country, some players may attempt to bypass the Google Play store and manually install Pokémon GO via a downloaded APK. Players may download an infected version of the game by not downloading it from an official source.

Proofpoint researchers discovered an infected Android version of the newly released mobile game Pokemon GO. This specific APK was modified to include the malicious remote access tool (RAT) called DroidJack (also known as SandroRAT), which would virtually give an attacker full control over a victim’s phone. The DroidJack RAT has been described in the past, including by Symantec and Kaspersky.

Source: https://www.proofpoint.com/us/threat-insight/post/droidjack-uses-side-load-backdoored-pokemon-go-android-app

E3 2016 is taking place from June 14th, 2016 until June 16th, 2016 at the Los Angeles Convention Center. Nintendo and Niantic showcased Pokémon GO during an Treehouse Live broadcast and revealed new information and Pokémon for the games.

Pokémon GO - Demonstration - Nintendo E3 2016 - Highlights

• Treehouse Live broadcast participants - Developers, Translators and Field Testers: Pokémon CEO Tsunekazu Ishihara, GAME FREAK Junichi Masuda, Niantic senior product manager Tatsuo Nomura, Nintendo Shigeru Miyamoto, Nintendo Translator's David Numrich and Raymond

Pokémon GO - Demonstration - Nintendo E3 2016

Press Release - More Pokémon GO Updates

Our team has been making the most of the sunny California weather by walking long distances and enthusiastically testing all of the refinement and new features in Pokémon GO. Many of these refinements have been inspired by feedback received from our field testers in Australia, New Zealand, Japan and United States. Thank you for testing the app and for giving us such great feedback.

We have a few exciting updates to share. We’ve added a new Camera feature that enables Trainers to take photographs of their wild Pokémon encounters. Now you can take a photo of Squirtle next to that scenic lake or Ivysaur hanging out by the park. The photos will be saved to your phone’s camera roll to share with whomever you’d like. We can’t wait to see the varied environments in which trainers will find wild Pokémon.

We’re also thrilled to announce that Pokémon GO’s all-new music track is composed by GAME FREAK’s Junichi Masuda. We’ve been working closely with Masuda-san on several of the core game design elements of Pokémon GO and feel very fortunate to also have drawn from his decades of experience composing original music for the Pokémon games.

We enjoyed participating in Nintendo’s Treehouse Live Pokémon GO developer Q&A session at E3 today. With each day, we’re getting closer to launch and we can’t wait to share this game with everyone. Stay tuned for more details.

Source: https://www.nianticlabs.com/blog/e3-2016/

Niantic has posted the first official screenshots and further details for the upcoming mobile game Pokémon GO on their blog. Below is the press release from that blog post.

A first look at Pokémon GO

We’re thrilled to provide a peek into Pokémon GO.

Pokémon GO represents the next generation of Niantic’s “Real World Gaming” platform. This platform combines mobile location technology and augmented reality to create a unique game experience that motivates players to go outside and explore the world around them.

Players will explore their surroundings to find and catch wild Pokémon. Certain wild Pokémon only appear in their native environments; for example, Water-type Pokémon may only appear near lakes and oceans.


Zoomed out view of the Pokémon GO Game Map / Zoomed in view of player with a Squirtle that just appeared / Squirtle encounter screen

Players will walk to hatch previously-acquired eggs that might reveal new Pokémon. Eggs and other special items such as Poké Balls can be acquired at PokéStops - located at interesting places such as public art installations, historical markers, museums and monuments.

Yes, there will be battles. Players will be encouraged to join one of three teams in order to compete over the ownership and prestige of Gyms. They will do this by placing their captured Pokémon in a friendly Gym or by battling with an opponent’s Pokémon in another team’s Gym. Gyms - just like PokéStops - are also found at real world locations.

As previously shared with you here, an early user field test will soon begin in Japan while the game is still in active development. Features, available languages, design and overall appearance are not final.

We’re excited to reveal more in the days to come.

— The Pokémon GO Development Team

Source: http://nianticlabs.com/blog/pokemon-go-first-look/

Press Release - NEW POKÉMON GO FEATURES ANNOUNCED

Gameplay Details Unveiled for Highly Anticipated Mobile Title
The Pokémon Company and Niantic Inc. today revealed new features for their upcoming mobile release, Pokémon GO. The much-anticipated mobile game launching later this year on the App Store and Google Play will encourage fans to search far and wide in the real world to discover Pokémon. An early user test limited to Japan only is planned for Pokémon GO while the game is still in active development. Features, available languages, design, and overall appearance are not finalized.

In Pokémon GO, players around the globe will explore their surroundings to find and catch wild Pokémon hiding in our midst. Some wild Pokémon appear only in their native environments; for example, Water-type Pokémon may only appear near lakes and oceans. As players explore the world around them, their phones will vibrate to let them know a Pokémon is nearby. Once they have encountered a Pokémon, it can be caught by using the phone’s touch screen to throw a Poké Ball. Poké Balls and other special items can be found at PokéStops located at interesting places such as public art installations, historical markers and monuments.

As players progress through Pokémon GO, their Trainer level will increase, enabling them to capture more-powerful Pokémon and gain access to more items. Some Pokémon can be evolved if the same species is caught on multiple occasions. Pokémon Eggs, which can be found at PokéStops, will hatch after players walk a certain distance. Players will be able to impress their friends by unlocking achievement medals that are earned by completing a variety of challenges.

During gameplay, Pokémon GO players will be encouraged to join one of three teams and engage in Gym battles with other teams. Once they have joined a team, players will have the ability to assign their Pokémon to empty Gyms. Like PokéStops, Gyms can be found at real locations in the world, and because only one Pokémon per player can be placed at a given Gym, team members will need to work together to build a strong defense. A Gym claimed by one team can be challenged by the other two teams.

With real-life surroundings providing a backdrop for encounters with wild Pokémon, this unique Pokémon game represents the next generation of Niantic’s “Real World” gaming platform, which combines mobile location technology and Augmented Reality to create a gaming experience that motivates players to go outside and explore the world around them.

Niantic has updated their site to announced that field testing for Pokémon GO will begin in late March 2016 in Japan only for now. The app is still in development but Android Version 4.3 or higher or an iPhone 5 or higher will be required. Testers that wish to apply will need a Google Account and/or Gmail address and applicants will be chosen via a lottery. The number of testers on iOS though will be greatly limited.

Pokémon GO Field Testing Will Begin in Japan

The Pokémon Company and Niantic will be inviting users to field test Pokémon GO in Japan later this month. The Pokémon GO field test program will give users the opportunity to share early feedback and help improve the Pokémon GO experience. Please stay tuned for information about expansion of the field test to other markets.

Sources: http://www.nianticlabs.com/blog/ and http://pokemongo.nianticlabs.com/