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Google Maps has a cool new Pokemon Go trick

Published Sep 5th, 2016 8:15AM EDT
Google Maps Update Pokemon Go
Image: YouTube

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Pokemon Go is still the hottest mobile game in town, even though the massive initial excitement that surrounded this unexpected phenomenon seems to have faded. Niantic is working on some hot new features for Pokemon Go, but also some neat new tricks for players. The company may not be part of Google anymore, but Niantic and Google Maps partnered to offer players a handy new feature.

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Google Maps will now let you update your activity in the Timeline feature. Users can select “catching Pokemon,” which means they’re playing the game on their phones. The new Google Maps feature was initially discovered by Reddit user GoldLeader272.

Credit: Android Police
Credit: Android Police Image source: Android Police

What you have to do to access it is to go to “Your timeline” inside the app, tap on the travel icon and edit it to “catching Pokemon,” Android Police reports. There’s really nothing exciting Pokemon-related going on inside Google Maps aside from that. So don’t expect Google Maps to help you catch Pokemon, or tell you where they’ll appear next.

You might not use Google Maps’ Timeline feature that frequently, as it’s a rather hidden feature of Google Maps. Timeline lets you quickly review Google Maps activity. It’ll show you where you’ve been and how you travelled to get there. And it’ll tell you how much time you’re wasting chasing those Pokemon.

Niantic, meanwhile, is expected to roll out a new Pokemon Go update in the near future, which should include support for trading Pokemon and a new buddy system. The company will hopefully fix its Pokemon tracking feature as well, although it’s not clear when that should happen.

Chris Smith Senior Writer

Chris Smith has been covering consumer electronics ever since the iPhone revolutionized the industry in 2008. When he’s not writing about the most recent tech news for BGR, he brings his entertainment expertise to Marvel’s Cinematic Universe and other blockbuster franchises.

Outside of work, you’ll catch him streaming almost every new movie and TV show release as soon as it's available.