Last week, Niantic released the Pokemon Go 0.177.0 update for Android and version 1.143.0 for iOS users. You can download it now, if you haven’t already. The augmented reality game gets a bunch of new features and bug fixes with the latest update. But some Android users are experiencing freezing issues after the Pokemon Go 0.177.0 update.
What’s new in the Pokemon Go 0.177.0 update?
Pokemon Go is the most popular game to come out of Niantic’s stable. The augmented reality title remains highly popular even four years after its debut. The new update adds a visual indicator – white rings around the Charge Moves – to show you how many Charged Attacks you have in Raids and Trainer Battles.
After the update, you won’t be able to use Mystery Boxes simultaneously with Incense. The iPhone users will be able to sign-in using their Apple ID. Also, Niantic has disabled GO Battle League ratings temporarily. The developer has promised to bring a new feature called PokeStop Scan in the future. It will allow players to help build 3D maps of Gyms and PokeStops.
One of the biggest highlights of the Pokemon Go 0.177.0 update is the Reality Blending feature. It’s currently available only to Android users, with a small number of supported devices such as the Galaxy S9, Galaxy S10, Google Pixel 3 and Pixel 4.
Apple users can expect it to arrive on their iPhones in the near future. Reality Blending makes the augmented reality game more immersive than before. It lets real-world objects to become part of the game, allowing characters to hide behind cover.
Freezing issues annoy users
As is the case with almost every new Pokemon Go update, this too has a problem. Trainer have complained that the game has freezing issues. For some reason, it gets stuck on the boot screen where the Niantic logo appears against a white background. The freezing issues appear to be affecting only the Android version, not the iOS version.
Players said in TheSilphRoad subreddit that the freezing issue doesn’t go away even after rebooting, reinstalling, or clearing the cache. Here are some of the complaints:
Niantic hasn’t yet recognized the issue. Only time will tell if or when the developer will fix it. Last time when Pokemon Go was crashing on some iPhones, it took Niantic a couple of weeks to acknowledge it. The company’s delayed response had angered many users. Let’s hope the same doesn’t happen this time.
