If you picked up (or were gifted) an Apple Watch this holiday season, you’ll be glad to know that the Apple Watch version of Pokémon Go is available for download. Announced earlier this year at an Apple event, this watchOS version of the wildly-popular mobile Pokémon game bears little resemblance to its iOS counterpart, though it does feature some quality of life improvements that’s sure to please fans.
For starters, the Apple Watch version Pokémon Go allows players to keep track of their movement and amount of steps more easily. Racking of steps is necessary in order to hatch Pokémon eggs, meaning that users will no longer have to keep the app open on their phone in order to make any progress on that front. Similarly, the Apple Watch will also notify players of nearby PokéStops, allowing them to ‘check in’ and collect useful items such as Pokéballs.
However, when it comes to actually hunting down Pokémon, players will need to pull out their iPhones. While the Apple Watch will keep track of nearby Pokémon, the actual act of ‘battling’ and capturing nearby creatures must be done on a phone. While the Apple Watch version doesn’t completely remove the need to keep a cell phone nearby, it does allow players to handle more simple tasks directly from their watch, which will hopefully conserve cell phone battery life.
As a last minute reminder, if you haven’t already captured a holiday-themed Pikachu (sporting a festive hat), today is your last day to do so!
