What you need to know
- Niantic's Ingress and Pokémon Go games will stop supporting devices running KitKat after July 1.
- You will need to update your operating system to Android 5 or above in order to continue playing the two games.
- According to the latest Android distribution numbers, only 6.9% of all Android devices run on Android 4.4 KitKat.
Niantic announced a few weeks back that its popular Pokémon Go and Ingress games will no longer support devices running Android 4.4 KitKat starting July 1, 2019. The company has now started reminding users once more than they will have to update their devices to Android 5 or above for uninterrupted access to the two games. Needless to say, you will not have to take any action in case your Android device is already running on Lollipop or above.
Android KitKat was announced in September 2013 and began rolling out to a few non-Nexus smartphones by the end of the same year. Even though it was released nearly six years back, the Android version distribution numbers released by Google last month revealed 6.9% of all Android devices still run on Android 4.4. In comparison, 10.4% of all Android devices run on the latest version, Android 9.0 Pie.
In case an update to Lollipop was made available for your device but you haven't installed it till now, you will need to install it right away if you want to continue playing Ingress or Pokémon Go. On the other hand, if your device isn't eligible for an update to Lollipop, the only viable option is to purchase a new handset. While there is no denying the fact that flagship Android smartphones are getting more expensive each year, there are some great options available out there even if you do not wish to spend more than $400 on a new phone.
Google's Pixel 3a is among the most impressive options out there if you're looking for a sub-$400 smartphone. Not only is it guaranteed to receive three years of updates but you also get a very capable camera that is on par with flagship phones such as the Pixel 3. Those of you with a slightly lower budget can consider the Nokia 7.1, which happens to be an Android One smartphone that retails for $350. Motorola G7 is another great option with an attractive design and dual rear cameras.
