Unexplained App Download - Pokemon Go

[SpotOnT]

Ok a bit of unexplained behavior here….

When I first used my iPhone 8 running iOS 14.6 yesterday, I found that Pokemon Go had somehow downloaded onto my device and was sitting right there on my home screen. The problem I am having is explaining how Pokemon Go got downloaded to my phone. 1) This is my only iOS/macOS device, so automatic app download shouldn’t apply. 2) I have 2 factor authentication turned on, so I don’t think my Apple ID has been hacked without me knowing. 3) No one but me has touch my phone this week.

So how did Pokemon Go get onto my phone? And how worried should I be about this? Any thoughts would be appreciated.

I did do a search for this and found an Apple Discussions thread where 3 other people had the same experience this week. So there might be some other examples of this, although admittedly, 3 people is a pretty insignificant sample size.

 

[0128672]

Ok a bit of unexplained behavior here….

When I first used my iPhone 8 running iOS 14.6 yesterday, I found that Pokemon Go had somehow downloaded onto my device and was sitting right there on my home screen. The problem I am having is explaining how Pokemon Go got downloaded to my phone. 1) This is my only iOS/macOS device, so automatic app download shouldn’t apply. 2) I have 2 factor authentication turned on, so I don’t think my Apple ID has been hacked without me knowing. 3) No one but me has touch my phone this week.

So how did Pokemon Go get onto my phone? And how worried should I be about this? Any thoughts would be appreciated.

I did do a search for this and found an Apple Discussions thread where 3 other people had the same experience this week. So there might be some other examples of this, although admittedly, 3 people is a pretty insignificant sample size.

Would you provide links to those Apple discussions?

 

[SpotOnT]

Would you provide links to those Apple discussions?

This is what I saw. It is such a small sample size, I wasn’t sure how relevant it was. But this definitely has me scratching my head…..

https://discussions.apple.com/thread/252965775

 

[teeshot44]

Did you ever have/use Pokémon Go? Check your Game Center settings. I’ve had a couple of strange downloads of games in the past. Finally, unless you use it, made sure you are signed out of Game Center and it was not backing up to iCloud. That backup settings seems to get reset for some reason.

 

[0128672]

This is what I saw. It is such a small sample size, I wasn’t sure how relevant it was. But this definitely has me scratching my head…..

https://discussions.apple.com/thread/252965775

Thanks for that link, which I read through. Very strange indeed! Had you installed anything else recently?

 

[SpotOnT]

Did you ever have/use Pokémon Go? Check your Game Center settings. I’ve had a couple of strange downloads of games in the past. Finally, unless you use it, made sure you are signed out of Game Center and it was not backing up to iCloud. That backup settings seems to get reset for some reason.

Ah, good thought about Game Center! Oddly though, I have never used Game Center (and frequently have to turn off Game Center on iCloud after some iOS updates). I just double checked to be sure, and I am not signed into Game Center and Game Center on iCloud is still turned off.

I did download Pokemon Go once (App Store Purchase history says it was 2018), but I don’t think I ever actually used it before deciding to delete it from my phone.

Thanks for that link, which I read through. Very strange indeed! Had you installed anything else recently?

According to my purchase history my last Apps downloaded were CBS, Geekbench 5, PDF Expert - which were all done in March and May. I haven’t downloaded any files from Safari in the last week either.

I am pretty sure, but can’t guarantee, that Pokemon Go was downloaded over night while I had my phone plugged in and was on wifi. At least I never noticed it downloading while I was using my phone.

 

[0128672]

Ah, good thought about Game Center! Oddly though, I have never used Game Center (and frequently have to turn off Game Center on iCloud after some iOS updates). I just double checked to be sure, and I am not signed into Game Center and Game Center on iCloud is still turned off.

I did download Pokemon Go once (App Store Purchase history says it was 2018), but I don’t think I ever actually used it before deciding to delete it from my phone.




According to my purchase history my last Apps downloaded were CBS, Geekbench 5, PDF Expert - which were all done in March and May. I haven’t downloaded any files from Safari in the last week either.

I am pretty sure, but can’t guarantee, that Pokemon Go was downloaded over night while I had my phone plugged in and was on wifi. At least I never noticed it downloading while I was using my phone.

Does this recent version show in your App Store purchase history (even though it's free)? It's almost acting like a pre-order, but that doesn't make sense considering your description. If not in your App Store history, it makes me wonder if it was an included download from a website for which the opt-out may have been somewhat hidden.

 

[SpotOnT]

Does this recent version show in your App Store purchase history (even though it's free)? It's almost acting like a pre-order, but that doesn't make sense considering your description. If not in your App Store history, it makes me wonder if it was an included download from a website for which the opt-out may have been somewhat hidden.

The most recent Apps shown in my App Store history are those three mentioned from March/May. I do have Pokemon Go “purchased” in my App store history, and that was back in 2018. Is there a way to look up when I might have re-downloaded an App already purchased? That would be helpful if I could check if it did indeed come from the App Store.

As for a website download, is it possible for an App to download from Safari directly to my home screen? I usually only download email attachments in Safari, and those go directly into my Downloads folder in the Files App.

 

[cupcakes2000]

I did download Pokemon Go once (App Store Purchase history says it was 2018), but I don’t think I ever actually used it before deciding to delete it from my phone.

Well, there you go. It’s weird, but it’s not quite as unexplained as you made out. Perhaps it’s a glitch and it re downloaded when you changed your phone, perhaps you accidentally re downloaded it when browsing the App Store (easy to do as you don’t need authentication on pre downloaded stuff). Weird but it’s certainly not something to be worried about.

 

[SpotOnT]

Well, there you go. It’s weird, but it’s not quite as unexplained as you made out. Perhaps it’s a glitch and it re downloaded when you changed your phone, perhaps you accidentally re downloaded it when browsing the App Store (easy to do as you don’t need authentication on pre downloaded stuff). Weird but it’s certainly not something to be worried about.

Ya, my first thought was I must have accidentally downloaded it again from the App Store. To do that though, I would have to click on Purchase History and scroll down quite a ways. I am sure I didn’t click on Purchase History in the last few days.

If it is just some glitch in the App Store system, where it auto-downloaded, that is certainly the best case scenario. I noticed that two of the other posters in the Apple Discussion thread also mentioned they had downloaded Pokemon Go in the past as well.

Is there anyway to check the App Store for the most recent date an App was downloaded (as apposed to the date when it was “purchased”)?

 

[0128672]

The most recent Apps shown in my App Store history are those three mentioned from March/May. I do have Pokemon Go “purchased” in my App store history, and that was back in 2018. Is there a way to look up when I might have re-downloaded an App already purchased? That would be helpful if I could check if it did indeed come from the App Store.

As for a website download, is it possible for an App to download from Safari directly to my home screen? I usually only download email attachments in Safari, and those go directly into my Downloads folder in the Files App.

I wasn't sure whether a re-download history might be available, but it's not. I just tested it. I'd go with @cupcakes2000 advice and not worry about it. But if it happens again .... well, then maybe let Apple know.

 

[0128672]

Ya, my first thought was I must have accidentally downloaded it again from the App Store. To do that though, I would have to click on Purchase History and scroll down quite a ways. I am sure I didn’t click on Purchase History in the last few days.

If it is just some glitch in the App Store system, where it auto-downloaded, that is certainly the best case scenario. I noticed that two of the other posters in the Apple Discussion thread also mentioned they had downloaded Pokemon Go in the past as well.

Is there anyway to check the App Store for the most recent date an App was downloaded (as apposed to the date when it was “purchased”)?

No, you can re-download from the App Store without going into your history. If you had deleted the app previously, the Get button would be available.