This map for Pokémon Go already bypasses Niantic’s new restrictions

The latest Pokémon Go update may have shut out existing third-party maps from displaying the locations of nearby pokémon, but a new app bypassing these restrictions has already hit the Google Play Store.

While it's still in beta, Smart Poké 2 worked in our tests on Android phones and Android Wear watches, displaying the locations of any recently spawned pokémon on a map of the user's surrounding area. If you tap on a specific pokémon, a card pops up with its exact distance in meters, the time you have left to catch it before it despawns, and its rarity. The app also contains a concise, condensed version of the information in a sidebar that lists each nearby pokémon as well as its rarity.

Google Play has been fairly diligent in removing apps like Smart Poké 2

Smart Poké 2 offers several customizable features to help stay focused on the world around you by only opening Pokémon Go when needed: users can receive notifications if they walk by any rare pokémon, and can even enable an always-on notification that lists all nearby pokémon any time you open the lock screen.

Google Play has been fairly diligent in removing apps like Smart Poké 2, so its longevity is questionable. That being said, for now it is a very useful tool for those willing to bend the rules to finally catch 'em all.

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