I don't have a iOS device and don't plan on getting one ever. I hope this will come out for Android devices since I know I'll be getting one eventually.

Nintendo went third party! Happy now, Hard Core gamerz?

The arguments about that on other sites are cringe worthy.

How can there be non-official Pokémon apps on the iPhone? Isn't that copyright infringement or something?

I don't know. How do strategy guides work? It could be the same principle. Or, they just may word things in such a way to not directly name Pokemon. For instance, there was an app to calculate your score while watching Jeopardy but they never refer to Jeopardy by name just as "That Quiz Show" even though it is clearly set up to be used for a Jeopardy board and goes by their money totals.

$1.99 I can justify, $26 for the whole thing? That is stupid and way overpriced. And requiring iOS 6 means I can use it on my iPad.

Yes. And now that Pokemon Company has an official app on the store, they can go hard-ass on all of them. Which is probably why this thing exists in the first place.

Or you can use websites for free. Or get the National Pokedex book off Amazon for $13.

Second.

Yeah, I know. Does me no good if I don't have a Internet connection and don't want to be dragging a book around with me. Nor do those online ones have the features of this one.

No, you have to remember, this app was released by The Pokemon Company International. They are not directly a part of Nintendo, they just happen to work with Nintendo of the video game series.

How much of the Pokemon company does Nintendo own?

You do know that Pokemon Company is 100% owned by Nintendo? They are like Retro Studios or Intelligent Systems in that they are subsidiaries of Nintendo. So, yes, they ARE directly part of Nintendo.

Iwata looked at this and said "WHERE ARE THE BUTTONS!?!?"

While TPCi is owned by Nintendo, they are still a subsidiary, which means they work independently from Nintendo.

I take this quote from the following IGN article:

They're still under the control of Nintendo. If Nintendo didn't want them to make that iPhone app, they wouldn't have been able to. They can use all the double talk they want to, the fact is, Nintendo authorized it.

I see this as a smart move, actually. There's been a ton of Pokedex apps and stuff for iOS and Android devices, so why not let the people who actually own Pokemon get their share of the pie? And besides, the price is about the same for the 3DS version and it has a crap ton of stuff in it. I think it's actually a rather nice move of them to expand to people who don't have 3DSes or use them as much as their iStuff (personally I think it'd be easier to whip out my iPod to check something and not have to worry about having an Internet connection or having to boot up my 3DS or end a game and wait through all the load times) and, at the same time, their market.

That's my stance on it, anyway. I'm no business professional or whatever.

I thought TPC was only 2/3rds owned by Nintendo?

1/3 Nintendo, 1/3 Creatures (wholly owned subsidiary of Nintendo) and 1/3 GameFreak (independent company).

Even if it's only 2/3, they still means Nintendo dictates everything they can and can't do since they are majority owner. Mataata, this is far more expensive than the 3DS app. The 3DS one is $15, this one is $26 for the same. If this was 15, I might get it.

Nintendo owns Creatures? How do you guys know that?


And quoting Wikipedia is not a good source.

Not being privy to their contractual arrangements, I can't say for sure one way or another.

It's highly possible that Game Freak has a clause that allows them some exemptions in making/licensing limited Pokémon-based applications for non-Nintendo devices. 

I don't see why Nintendo isn't more open to mobile development. I'm not talking games; I mean stuff like a real Miiverse app instead of just a web interface, or something along the lines of Microsft's Xbox Live app to let you see what your friends are doing and maybe buy things on the eShop, you know, companion apps.

I'm pretty sure Iwata is planning those things. He did say mobile devices should be complimentary devices, not competitors.

I thought this was the breakdown for the rights to Pokemon, and that TPC was wholly owned by Nintendo and created solely to manage the licensing.