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Pokemon Go For iOS 11 Gets Exclusive AR Features

New AR+ features have been made available to Pokemon Go players running iOS 11 or higher.

Kevin Tucker

December 20, 2017 2:00 PM

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Niantic has been doing well with keeping Pokemon Go swimming in fresh content and functions, and among the latest additions is an all-new feature that's exclusive to players running iOS 11 on the iPhone 6s or newer. It's called AR+, and its goal is to provide trainers with an "even more releastic" Pokemon experience by improving the game's augmented reality functions.

Based on Apple's own ARKit framework, Pokemon Go AR+ will soon be released to players with recent-model Apple hardware. And while many players immediately turned off the game's AR features in order to save on their mobile batteries, AR+ might be a good reason to turn them back on.

With AR+, Pokemon are now fixed into stationary positions out in the world; not only does this make them feel more anchored to physical environments, it also means players can walk right up to them in order to get a sense of their scale. Move too close, though, and the pocket monster will run away — fortunately, there's a new Awareness meter that will appear next to thh creature to help players understand when the critter might turn to run away.

Assuming the Pokemon gets spooked, players will also be able to tap on nearby grass in order to lure the Pokemon back out. Get close enough, and players will find that they have increased chances of earning Great and Excellent Throw bonuses. Beyond that, trainers will also receive the new Expert Handler bonus that will dole out additional XP and Stardust for the encounter.

Players who want to learn even more about Pokemon Go and the game's new AR+ features can head over to the AR+ post featured on the official Pokemon Go blog. Beyond that, Niantic fans should also remember that the developer is currently working on Ingress Prime, a remake of sorts for the company's very first AR-based game. Check out the latest trailer below:

Kevin Tucker

Guides Editor

Kevin Tucker is a core component of Shacknews' powerful guide development team. For questions, concerns, tips, or to share constructive criticism, he can be reached on Twitter @dukeofgnar or through e-mail at kevin.tucker@shacknews.com.