Niantic has already ended support for Pokemon GO on millions of older iOS devices, but the developer behind the hit mobile game isn't done shifting its support plans yet. It has now announced that Pokemon GO will soon become unplayable for even more players on iPhone and iPad.

In an update published on the official Pokemon GO website, Niantic confirmed that it would soon be ending support for Apple devices that are "not capable of upgrading to iOS 11." This includes the iPhone 5, the iPhone 5C, and the iPad 4.

The change will be rolled out on February 28, 2018, says Niantic. After this date, "Trainers using affected devices may no longer be able to access their Pokémon GO accounts from that device, or use their PokéCoins or other items in their Bags." Players will have to switch to a supported device in order to keep playing the game.

Niantic explains that the decision to end support for older iOS devices is a "result of improvements to Pokémon GO that push the application beyond the capabilities of the operating systems on such devices." As the developer continues to update the game it can't continue to support older operating systems that just can't handle the new features.

Pokemon GO Gen 3 egg hatches list

For those playing the game on older devices, this will be disappointing. If they are unable to switch to a new device then they will just be unable to enjoy the game. But those on newer devices will be glad to see that Niantic isn't holding the game back for what must be a minority group of players. They want the game to make the best use of operating system improvements, such as the ARKit technology, and this may not happen if Niantic continues support for these older devices.

With Niantic letting go of older devices, fans will be eager to see what other technological advancements the developer is working on. PvP and trading are two other most-wanted features for the game and players are desperate to see how these will shake things up.

Additionally, Niantic is working on some Pokemon GO social features, which is why the developer purchased social app developer Evertoon last year. Although it's unclear when any of these featues and updates may be released in the wild, Niantic's commitment to pushing the iOS operating system to its limits is surely cause for excitement.

Pokemon GO is available now on Android and iOS devices.

Source: Niantic