It shouldn’t really come as any surprise that Nintendo is making a big push into the mobile market after the astronomical success of Pokemon GO, but we can’t imagine many people were expecting to see Mario creator and general gaming icon Shigeru Miyamoto appear on-stage during Apple’s iPhone 7 reveal conference earlier today.
But this does appear to be a day for firsts, it seems. Besides the revelation that Nintendo’s mascot Mario is set to star in his own game on iOS devices by way of Super Mario Run, Apple’s highly-anticipated presentation also revealed that Niantic’s Pokemon GO will be available on Apple Watch before the year’s end, ensuring that you’ll never miss out on another rare Pokemon appearance ever again.
While you’ll still need to use your phone to catch any Pokemon that the watch notifies you of, PokeStops, egg hatching and item collection are all activities that can be enjoyed without ever having to reach into your pocket.
Besides the above, some additional features have been introduced for the Apple Watch version, namely the ability to have the wrist accessory record how far you’ve travelled with each creature hunt and the amount of calories burned.
If these all sound like features you can’t live without but don’t own an Apple device, don’t fear – previously announced peripheral Pokemon GO Plus will be going on sale later this month for $34.99, and offers many of the same options.