Pokemon GO will soon cease to function on certain phones

Pokemon GO has made an announcement stating that it will cease to function on devices operating on Android 7. Over the course of the seven years since its release, Pokemon GO has received numerous updates, patches, and content additions, aimed at enhancing and fixing various aspects of the game.

In the current season of Pokemon GO, Niantic has implemented several gameplay enhancements, including an increased limit for opening and sending gifts. Additionally, the developer has augmented the appearance rate of themed Pokemon and amplified the damage inflicted by trainers participating in Raids alongside friends. The season introduces exciting new content, notably the highly anticipated arrival of Paldea Pokemon in Pokemon GO. Various events are also part of this season, ranging from the well-received Community Day to the highly anticipated Out to Play event. During the latter event, players have a unique opportunity to obtain a Shiny Hisuian Growlithe for the first time.

Pokemon GO has officially announced the discontinuation of support for devices operating on Android 7. The support will come to an end on the upcoming Wednesday, October 4, coinciding with the release of update 285.0 by Niantic. Consequently, players using devices with this operating system will need to either update to a more recent version or acquire a device equipped with a more modern Android version in order to continue playing Pokemon GO. Android 7, also known as Android Nougat, was launched in 2016 and serves as the minimum required version to run the game. Additionally, the device must have at least 2GB of RAM, support a resolution of 720 x 1280, possess GPS and location services, and not be rooted.

While Pokemon GO is discontinuing support for trainers using Android 7 devices, there are no changes for players with Android 8, also known as Android Oreo. With this update, Android 8 becomes the new minimum required version for accessing new Pokemon GO features. Apple users are also unaffected by this change, as Pokemon GO will continue to run normally on iPhone 6s or newer devices running iOS 14 or higher, with 2GB or more of RAM, and without jailbreaking. However, for players with Android 7 devices, they will no longer be able to find Pokemon GO on the Google Play Store or sideload the game onto their devices.

The recent announcement regarding the discontinuation of support for Android 7 phones has led players to speculate that Android 8 might face a similar fate in the coming year. However, Niantic has not made any statements regarding this matter at the moment. Although it is disheartening to witness the conclusion of Android 7's support, it is worth noting that Pokemon GO underwent a similar transition last year with devices running Android 6. This is a regular process as developers strive to provide players with the most stable and optimal experience possible.

Pokemon GO is available now for Android and iOS.