Galaxy S3 mini and Pokémon GO

Pokémon GO has made a big impact during the last week. So big that I also wanted to be a part of it, but with a Samsung Galaxy S3 mini and Android 4.1.2 it wasn't possible... Although...

While I was in Toronto last week the Internet was already filled with stories, screenshots and all sorts of stuff about Pokémon GO. You couldn't avoid it. Even the Toronto Metro had three articles about Pokémon GO, with one about the advantages for the children like learning to use GPS and managing mobile data ('Parents should make most of Pokémon Go', July 13).

Anyway, at the same day after my arrival in Chicago on the way to my accommodation I met a guy playing Pokémon GO while waiting on the sidewalk before the lights turned green. He caught a wild Gastly. At that I point I thought: 'You need to have that!' 

Unfortunately installing the app wasn't even possible with my three-year-old Samsung Galaxy S3 mini. At least Android 4.4 would be necessary. But I couldn't go further than 4.1.2. I found some tutorials and saw that it's possible to run a modded version of Android 5.x on the Galaxy S3 mini.

I already wanted to try some Android mods earlier, but up until now there was no need because every app I used was still running properly. With Pokémon GO I finally got the motivation to upgrade.

Custom Recovery and Custom OS

So the first thing I needed was a Custom Recovery. The integrated Recovery Mode within my branded phone doesn't have the option to install a custom OS. Of course not. In order to install this recovery system you need to use Odin on your PC and connect your phone via USB cable. Turn off your phone and press Volume Down, Home and the 'Turn on' button to able to install a Custom Recovery via Odin.

Possible Custom Recoverys are either Clockworld or TWRP. After my first attempts using TWRP failed, which meant that the old recovery mode started instead of the new one I tried Clockworld which could boot without issues, but after reading that it would be better to use TWRP for Android 5 on this phone I tried to install TWRP again. Starting the Recovery Mode is possible by starting your phone with Home button + Volume Up.

This time it worked. In the next step I had to copy the Android 5 image (to be found on http://novafusion.pl/downloads/) and a Google Apps package on the root folder of my phone, After starting the recovery mode I was able to select the images, first the OS, then the Google Apps package. I selected the little basic one.

OS: aosp5.0_golden.nova.20141106

Apps: pa_gapps-modular-mini-5.1-20150315-signed

After a reboot the configuration for the Android Lollipop 5.1.1 started. It went flawlessly through. After installing some basic apps, I could finally install Pokémon GO, but without using the Play Store, because my phone isn't listed for being able to run this game. So I downloaded the apk file (com.nianticlabs.pokemongo_0.29.2-2016071201_minAPI19(armeabi-v7a)(nodpi)_apkmirror.com) and installed the app manually.

While being in Las Vegas I could finally start catching Pokémon through the hotels WiFi. It was quite fun running through the casinos looking for the monsters.

By now I could catch 14 Pokémon and I'm about to reach Level 5. It's far from being a master and was just getting started.

And as a side effect it feels like having a new phone. Faster and better, it's the best what could happen to my phone from 2013.

For those who need more information upgrading their S3 mini - feel free to comment below.