With Pokémon GO GPS Spoofing, players fake their location in the game, known as Fake GPS. This type of cheating may soon be curtailed.
Honest trainers have long been annoyed by them: GPS Spoofers in Pokémon GO (Fake GPS). They easily catch monsters from the comfort of their couch all around the world.
Spoofing works through another program installed on the phone. This program signals to the phone that it is located in a completely different place. Theoretically, trainers from Bielefeld can catch Pokémon in America without having to travel there – including the regional Pokémon that do not exist here.
A new Android security update could soon put an end to this dishonest play.
GPS Fake Apps Face Issues After Android Update 7.1
The first complaints are already coming in on social networks that GPS Fake Apps are no longer working and players in Pokémon GO can no longer use fake locations. The reason for this is likely an Android security update aimed at these services.
In earlier Android versions, Fake GPS Apps could fake a different location without being detected. As a result, Pokémon GO does not recognize a problem with this location and assumes you are there.
A code change in the new Android 7.1 ensures that programs faking a different location can no longer keep this deception secret. The system can distinguish between “real” and “faked” locations.
There are already reports from users of the Android 7.1 version confirming that GPS spoofing does not work on Nexus 6P/5X devices anymore. This security patch is likely part of the Google March security update, which could also reach older Android versions (6.0.1).
Fewer GPS Fakers in the Future?
Closing this security hole is an important step in combating cheaters and ensuring fair play in the game. However, it will not immediately stop all spoofers around the world. Anyone who does not update their phone and continues using an Android version that does not recognize Fake GPS is safe for now.
Additionally, this latest Android 7.1 version is only installed on about 0.4% of devices. This overview table illustrates how many users have which version of the operating system installed:
If this security gap is indeed closed in Android version 6.0.1, it would reach many more players who exploit these fake services.
On Reddit, the first trainers are already complaining that their spoofing services no longer work. In Pokémon GO, they receive a message that there are errors recognizing the location.
Here are 10 things you should know about the 2nd generation in Pokémon GO
