Five products that have already been designed for Pokémon GO
Just two weeks after the release of mobile game Pokémon GO, designers have created an array of products aimed at making it easier for players to "catch 'em all".
The augmented reality app – which became a global phenomenon within the space of a few days – now has more than 15 million users, presenting a huge potential market for Pokémon-themed technology accessories.
From boosting battery power to helping users detect Pokémon in hard-to-reach places, here are five ways designers have rapidly responded to the craze.
Since the game was released, reports have emerged of people causing traffic accidents to catch rare species and injuring themselves while focused on their phones rather than the surroundings.
Nintendo's portable Pokémon GO Plus device could help prevent such situations, as it notifies the player about events in the game without them having to look at their smartphone.
The wristband – which was released by Nintendo to coincide with the app's launch – connects to a smartphone via Bluetooth, and uses an LED and vibration to let the user know when a Pokémon appears nearby. Players can also then catch Pokémon or perform other simple actions by pressing the button on the device.
Tech brand TRNDlabs were quick to spot the popularity of the game, and customised its miniature drone so users can access Pokémon in difficult places and avoid walking into hazards.
The company claims that when the drone is paired with the Pokémon GO app via Wi-Fi, the app switches to use the on-board camera and GPS rather than the phone's functions.
The game's interface remains visible on the player's phone, which is placed into the controller they use to fly the drone.
Nick Poole, a user on electronics blog SparkFun, has 3D-printed a smartphone case in the form of a Pokédex – a digital encyclopaedia used in the game to store details of captured Pokémon.
The case, which is currently only available for the Samsung Galaxy S4, incorporates functioning LED lights and a battery pack with a USB cable.
So that players can recreate the Pokédex themselves, Poole has made the files available to download on sharing site GitHub, and is currently testing out cases for different phone models.
London-based design studio RamzanVong has designed a portable charger that is hidden inside a Pokéball – the object players use in the game to catch Pokémon.
The Pokéball Charger is made up of four parts – one being a double-USB charger that slots inside the centre of the ball.
The Poké Radar map, designed by developers Braydon Batungbacal and Nick DiVona, allows users to search for rare Pokémon anywhere in the world on Google Maps.
The mapping tool is run by the Pokémon GO community, and when a user taps on a Pokémon's icon, they will see who posted the tip and how many other players found the tip helpful.
The map can be accessed in a browser or through the iPhone app in the iOS store. An Android version is currently in the works, according to the developers' Facebook page.