The Pokémon GO mania continues to explode as more and more players from across the globe pick up on the new Nintendo game, and with it the hunt for cheats, tips and tricks for optimal enjoyment. However, the fun and excitement packed with the augmented reality or AR application could be cut short as the game is proven to be a power hog.
In order to play mon GO - scour the surroundings to hunt down Pikachu and other Mons, visit Poké Stops and just elevate further on the progress of the game - the app needs to run and the phone screen all lit up for hours on. Not to mention that the device GPS function is activated at the same time so the game, no doubt, will be a battery killer.
And there's the possibility of users' data allowance running down too soon as Pokémon GO heavily relies on navigating apps - Apple and Google Maps - for its core function of getting users to look for pocket monsters out there.
For most users, Pokémon GO could mean dead battery before the end of the day and the likelihood of reaching the dreaded data limit even the power juice dries out.
But it shouldn't be the case, according to BGR, pointing to the recent hacks shared by Redditors.
Gamers, for instance, with limited data access can minimize their usage by downloading the maps of the locations they intend to visit when playing Pokémon GO. The saved data can then be pulled up offline. In Google Maps, this is easily done by first starting the application then heading to the Settings, on to Offline areas. From there, users can then pick the specific locations they want to store locally on their devices.
Now for making sure that low battery meter will not kill the fun of searching for and collecting Pokémons, the app in fact has a built-in function that will make the game battery-friendly when activated. Battery Mode, when turned on, will slow down the power drain when GO is running on a device.
The feature can be accessed by tapping on the Poke Ball icon on the bottom-center of the app interface and then clicking Settings on the next page. Popping up should be a host of Settings menu, from which users need only to tick Battery Mode. Afterwards, Pokémon GO should go easy on the battery.
But obviously a marathon Pokémon GO game will still lead to the power juice reaching the bottom in no time. The best fix for this is to move around with a portable charger or power bank to hook up the mobile device on when needed.