Now that Pokemon GO is available for download (at least for some countries), there are sure to be heaps of bugs and issues that the app will encounter. We have found a couple of them and even Niantic Labs has released a list of known issues on their side. So if you’re going to be playing the game soon, here’s a couple of things you might want to look out for.
1. Trainer progress temporarily resets to Level 1
Some users have complained that their trainer progress has been reset. According to Niantic Labs, this may be because users may have inadvertently created two Pokémon GO accounts: one account using Google and one using Pokémon Trainer Club.
If you create an account with one login method and later attempt to use the other login method, a second account is created. The solution to this is pretty simple, log out of your account via the Settings menu and then log back in with your original login method.
2. Distorted audio
In some situation, music and sound effects within Pokémon GO app may become distorted or delayed. This issue often occurs while connected to Bluetooth audio. Niantic Labs is aware of the issue and are working on a solution.
However, there is another audio issue unmentioned which is a loss of audio when the game is interrupted by notifications. In our test of the app, we realised that when notifications like Whatsapp messages come in, the audio is totally cut off and does not return. This seems only to happen if you have audio notifications turned on. We tested the issue with vibration mode, and it didn’t have the same issue. The only way to get audio back is to restart the app.
3. Heavy battery use
Some devices may experience battery drain while playing Pokémon GO for prolonged periods of time. No specific reason has been found to be the cause, but we suspect that the app hasn’t been entirely optimised when it comes to that department. Niantic Labs are in the midst of fixing the issue, and we should see improvements in subsequent updates.
4. Location is incorrect, unavailable, or jitters/drifts
According to Niantic Labs, GPS accuracy largely depends on the device being used and the signal/connection strength. To improve a device’s location, you’ll need to review the following settings:
- Pokémon GO has location permissions enabled
- Internet connectivity is enabled (3G, 4G, Wi-Fi)
- Device location/GPS is enabled
- Location/GPS set to high-accuracy mode
5. Receiving ‘You already own this item’ error message (Android only)
There are instances when a device loses internet connectivity while purchasing PokéCoins from the shop; players may receive the “You already own this item” error message.To fix the issue, power off and restart the device.
6. Receiving ‘This item is not available in your country’ error when trying to download the app.
If you’re not based in the launch countries of Australia, New Zealand or the US, then you will get this message. However, if you are based in those countries, you might want to check your Google Wallet settings to ensure your address is based in the proper country. If this doesn’t work, try reaching out to the Google Play support team via their Help Center.
7. No Pokemon or checkpoints are spawning
If you’re not in any of the existing launch countries, this will happen. It seems Niantic Labs have deliberately stopped spawning Pokemon and checkpoints in non-launch countries as we reported earlier. However, if you are in the launch countries and this happens, restart the app and it should work again.
8. App is not working when installed (Android only)
There have been reports of the app not working properly by some users, both one APK and official Play Store downloads. If you’re one of those experiencing the issue, please make sure that your Android device fits the basic requirement of the app which we’ve listed below
Android
- Android 4.4 to Android 6.0.1
(Android N will not be supported until the official Android release) - Preferred resolution of 720×1280 pixels (Not optimised for tablet)
- Strong internet connection (Wi-Fi, 3G, or 4G)
- GPS and Location Services
- Intel CPUs are not supported
iOS
- iPhone 5+
- iOS 8+
- Strong internet connection (Wi-Fi, 3G, or 4G)
- GPS and Location Services
- Jailbroken devices are not supported
Too bad if you’re an Intel CPU powered device user (we’ve gotten plenty of feedback that ASUS Zenphone 2 user are unable to run the app, now you know why). Hopefully, Niantic Labs will add in Intel CPU support in the coming updates.
So there you have it, the current known issues that can be found on Pokemon GO. For those of you who have a working version of the game, keep sending us issues you’ve been experiencing with the app and we’ll update it here together with the fixes Niantics issues over the course of time. Till then, continue catching em’ all!
For more Pokemon GO news and stories, head over here.
