Pokémon GO Plus accessory to be available on September 16

After unveiling an Apple Watch version of the widely popular AR mobile game at Apple’s iPhone event, Niantic Labs has now announced on the Pokémon GO blog that the physical companion accessory, the Pokémon GO Plus, will begin shipping out to fans on September 16.

The Plus is meant to assist you in playing Pokémon GO by not requiring you to have your phone out at all times. The accessory does this by lighting up and vibrating every time you are near a PokéStop (points of interests where resources can be collected) or a Pokémon. By simply using the physical button on the Plus, you’ll be able to do most in-game actions without being required to take out your cellphone.

Pokémon GO Plus is a companion device that connects to your phone over Bluetooth^® Smart (the Bluetooth low energy connection designed for health and fitness applications), allowing you to keep your phone in your pocket and go about your day-to-day activities while still being able to collect valuable resources and capture even the most elusive Pokémon.

While originally available for pre-order at the time of the Pokémon GO launch in June for $35, the release of the Plus accessory itself ended up getting delayed until September. The listing on Amazon for the Pokémon GO Plus has been showing as “Currently Unavailable” for most of the summer but that should change soon as the accessory begins shipping to “most countries” on September 16 with a later release date for South American territories.