‘Pokémon Go’ 0.53 Update Changes Distance Tracking And Apple Watch Display

The latest Pokémon Go update is a minor one, but can affect how players hatch eggs and collect candy from their buddy Pokémon.

Version 0.53 for Android and version 1.23 on iOS will change how distance tracking is counted, to better account for GPS drift as well as the Apple Watch app display. Here’s the official patch notes from Niantic.

• Updated Apple Watch to display Eggs obtained from PokéStops
• Changed distance tracking to better account for GPS drift
• Minor text fixes.

GPS drift is caused by your device’s GPS resetting itself, which in Pokémon Go can cause your trainer to actually walk when you are stationary.

Players can see this happening while sitting at a desk and their trainer begins to walk away from your current location. Updating Pokémon Go to version 0.53 will likely eliminate this “exploit” by forcing players to actually walk the distance needed instead of being able to sit at their desk and let the GPS throw them around.

The Silph Road is still investigating how egregious this accounting for GPS drift really is.

Otherwise, those who use their Apple Watch to track their progress in Pokémon Go will like the latest update, as the display will now show Eggs from PokeStops. This feature was omitted when the app was first launched but now Apple Watch users will have a smoother experience while playing Pokémon Go.

So what do you think of the latest Pokémon Go update? What do you want next? Sound off in the comments section below.