Niantic announced in a tweet yesterday that Pokémon Go will no longer support certain old iPhone and Android devices after an update coming in October.
This includes the iPhone 5S and iPhone 6, as well as anything running iOS 10, iOS 11 or Android 5. While you might still be able to play for now, if you fall into one of those device categories then Pokémon Go will not be supported on your device after the October update releases.
The iPhone 5S and 6 released in 2013 and 2014 respectively, while iOS 10 and 11 launched in 2016 and 2017 and Android 5 in 2014.
In an upcoming update to Pokémon GO in October, we will end support for Android 5, iOS 10, and iOS 11, as well as iPhone 5s and iPhone 6 devices. Trainers with devices not specifically listed here will not be affected and don’t need to take any action.
— Pokémon GO (@PokemonGoApp) August 31, 2020
This end-of-support announcement affects iPhone 5S and 6 users the hardest, as there’s no option besides buying a new phone. On the other hand, if you’re using a newer iPhone model running iOS 10 or 11, you can update your operating system to iOS 12 or above to continue to enjoy Pokémon Go after October. The same goes for Android 5 users, assuming your phone supports an update to Android 6 or higher.
While it’s always sad when a new app update ends support for devices that previously worked fine, it seems unlikely that this will affect a huge portion of the Pokémon Go player base. Nonetheless, it sucks if there’s even a few hardcore fans still enjoying the game on an iPhone 5S or 6, who will now have to purchase a new phone if they want to keep playing.
Pokémon Go launched in 2016 and became a worldwide hit. The game has been updated with lots of improvements and new content since release, including the recent addition of AR occlusion for Android devices.
