Pokémon Go pips Twitter, Facebook in terms of daily users

New York, July 14: The newly-launched famous Augmented Reality (AR) game Pokémon Go has overtaken Twitter in terms of daily users and has seen people spending more time on its app than on Facebook.

Citing report from tracking firms Tech Crunch reported that the game has not only topped Twitter and Facebook, but also have surpassed dating app Tinder in terms of installs.

"By July 7, the app had been installed on more Android smartphones than the dating app," Britain-based information technology firm SimilarWeb was quoted as saying.

SimilarWeb said Pokémon Go manage to surpass Twitter in terms of daily active users on Monday and now sees 5.92 per cent of the US Android population engaging with the app on a daily basis.

Meanwhile, US-based web-based survey solutions company SurveyMonkey tracked Pokémon Go's peak daily active users and said that Pokémon Go has claimed the title of "biggest mobile game in the US history", leaving behind other popular mobile games, including Candy Crush, Clash Royale and Minecraft.

The report also noted that Pokémon Go is now closing in on Snapchat on Android and the Pokémon Go Android application could even pass Google Maps on Android.

The game has not only raised eyebrows with its success but also by attracting security threats.

According to a report by security software company Trend Micro, Pokemon Go poses a great data security threat to users as the app gets "full access" to their Google account, allowing the gaming company to read all emails.

It said that for some users of iPhones, signing into the game with the most convenient option -- using your Google account -- allows the gaming company to read your emails.

While enjoying the game, the user is exposed to many threats and introduces whole new categories of life risks, the firm said, adding that Pokemon Go's real-world gameplay has been linked to armed robberies as criminals have used the game to locate and lure intended targets.

Also there are reports of trespassing as enthusiastic players try to "find" and "capture" creatures on others' property. In the US, gamers trespassing on others' property face a real threat of physical harm from property owners who may use force to protect their property.

Meanwhile, Finland-based cyber security company F-secure said Pokémon Go privacy concerns are hyped and overblown.

It noted that the maker of the game Nitantic was never able to read your Gmail and the permissiveness has more to do with Google's settings.

"The robbery stuff is hyped nonsense, allegedly happens once and the press can't resist telling the story," Sean Sullivan, F-Secure's Security Advisor, said in a statement.

On asked about Niantic collecting email address, IP address, the web page a user was using before logging into Pokémon Go, username and location, he said this is "typical of most apps. The bottom line is that still if you may, as always, you should check your privacy settings".

This is how the game works.

It uses the GPS capabilities of your device in conjunction with Google Maps to "place" creatures in real world locations, which you then try to find them using your device as a guide.

Once you are in proximity to the "placed" creature, you then use your device's camera to "view" the creature and try to "capture" it.

"This works with you using your device as a viewer to 'see' the creature near you by looking at an image from the camera with the creature superimposed on it. You then 'capture' the creature for points by throwing Poké Balls at it on the device's screen," Trend Micro stated.

The Pokemon Go is available on Google Playstore and Apple's App Store in the US, Japan and Australia, Philippines, New Zealand and is coming soon in India, Singapore, Germany, Taiwan, Indonesia and Britain.

IANS