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Pokemon Go update fixes Pokemon catching bugs, introduces new ‘Nearby’ feature

Published Aug 9th, 2016 8:13AM EDT

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Pokemon Go

players were furious when Niantic ruined their gaming experience a little over a week ago by releasing an update for Android and iPhone that removed the nearby Pokemon tracking feature, but also by making Pokemon catching a lot harder than before. Niantic explained why it removed the tracker and why it killed third-party Pokemon mapping support, and promised to fix the Pokemon catching bug. On Monday night, they followed through.

Pokemon Go for iPhone (version 1.3.0) and Android (version 0.33) are available to download right away, bringing several important fixes to the game.

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As you’ll see in the following changelog, Niantic will now warn you not to play while driving. Bugs related to Poke Ball throw and experience awards have also been fixed, and the battery-saver mode is back and working. You can also change you Trainer’s name, but only once, so choose wisely. Here’s the full changelog:

  • Added a dialog to remind Trainers that they should not play while traveling above a certain speed. Trainers must confirm they are not driving in order to continue playing
  • Made improvements to the accuracy of a curveball throw
  • Fixed a bug that prevented ”Nice,” ”Great,” and “Excellent” Poké Ball throws from awarding the appropriate experience bonuses
  • Fixed achievements showing incorrect Medal icons
  • Enabled the ability for Trainers to change their nickname one time, so please choose your new nickname wisely
  • Resolved issues with the battery saver mode and re-enabled this feature
  • Added visuals of Team leaders – Candela, Blanche and Spark
  • We’re currently testing a variation of the “Nearby Pokémon” feature with a subset of users. During this period you may see some variation in the nearby Pokémon UI.
  • Minor text fixes

Interestingly, the changelog also indicates that a variation of the tracker is in testing, but only a select few Trainers will see it in their game.

Download the update from the App Store for iPhone or Google Play store for Android.

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.