Source
r/pokemongodev•
Chroniton

2 accounts, 1 phone - dual raiding update

Discussion

In my effort to give the multi-accounters in my area a large selection of devices they can purchase I've been looking at what phones are able to support simultaneous input to 2 instances of Pokemon Go at the same time, to either cut down on devices to carry or in some people's cases make it easier to add more accounts onto those they already play.

Xiaomi phones are the usual go-to for this however there are some which do not support the function, the Mi A2/A2 Lite runs stock Android and not MIUI.

I can only comment on phones available in the UK but Xiaomi phones available here that work are:

Xiaomi Mi MIX 3

Xiaomi Mi 8 Pro

Xiaomi Mi 8

Xiaomi Mi MIX 2S

Xiaomi Mi 8 Lite

Xiaomi Redmi Note 6 Pro

Xiaomi Redmi Note 5

Xiaomi Redmi S2

Xiaomi Redmi 6

Xiaomi Redmi 6A (although a bit underpowered and can have issues)

Beyond this Samsung phones running Android 8.1 (specifically, neither 8.0 or 9.0 work) can also simultaneously input to 2 apps via an app called multistar (available through the good lock 2018 app), available from Samsung's own Galaxy store, the only phones currently available in the UK that can be used for this are:

Samsung Galaxy Note 9

Samsung Galaxy J5 (2017)

Samsung Galaxy J6+ (only the + model)

Samsung Galaxy J4+ (only the + model)

So if you live somewhere that Xiaomi phones are not available Samsung phones running Android 8.1 are also an option. As more phones are able to be upgraded to 8.1 there will be more choice, hopefully Samsung also allows android 9.0 to have the same functions soon, I did reach out to Samsung UK to ask them but they tried to call me back whole I was in work.

I also resched out to Huawei support as I had heard EMUI also supported simultaneous input but I don't know anyone with one to check, they said that if an app supports split screen then it does support simultaneous input but I do not think that Pokemon Go actually supports split screen function so these likely do not work but if anyone could test that would be helpful.

Posted Mar 8, 2019, 12:43 PM UTC · edited

1882
t4rkus-paper•

The special thing about MIUI is that both apps, when running on multiscreen/dualscreen, actually run truly simultaneously. In every other solution, the app that is not focused is paused, so if you tap app A, app B pauses, and vice-versa.

All other "parallel" apps (they're all just a work around Android's Work Profile), like Island, ParallelApps, etc., do not let you use both apps at the same time.

After grinding my gears with that issue using Island on my Google Pixel, I recently bought a Redmi Note 5 for the sole case of reverse engineering the mechanism in which Xiaomi does that, and so far haven't had too much success.

One of the discoveries I did is that there's an option on developer settings called "MIUI Optimization" that comes enabled by default and that when disabled the behaviour changes. So far we can only assert that whatever the heck "MIUI Optimization" does, something on it is responsible for allowing the feature.

It's quite clear that this is done in software. Further research is required, but this feature should be definitely portable to other devices and ROMS. At least that's what I'm going for :D

7
ChronitonOP•

With Android 8.1 the multistar app does run both apps simultaneously and doesn't pause one, that's why the Samsung section is so small, there's only a few devices currently on 8.1 neither 8.0 or 9.0 can run multistar.

You may want to take a look at the multistar apk:

https://www.apkmirror.com/apk/samsung-electronics-co-ltd/samsung-multistar/multistar-1-0-16-release/multistar-1-0-16-android-apk-download/

Hopefully you can find a way to get this it something similar working on other Android devices?

Google have said that Android Q will support simultaneous split-screen natively but that's going to be a while off yet.

4
t4rkus-paper•

Ohhh, I see. Wow, we might be into something here! Well, then we have even more evidence that this is software-sided and should be portable. Also, it's much, much easier to tinker with a single app than with the whole OS! 😅

Given that this is an app, it would be cool if you tried running a different app like Island in the same device and take a look at the behaviour, see if it pauses normally.

Thanks a lot! I'm already decompiling the APK 😁 Hopefully I'll find something and report back!

3
shigutso•

Maybe you can find something on their github?

https://github.com/MiCode

2
betetta•

The redmi note 4 series Also works, Been using it on and off for a year whenever my cousin's phone battery dies so he can continue playing. Even with the 3gb ram versión the lag is minimum.

Only downside is the Battery use, but is Still better than with most other brands.

3
ChronitonOP•

I've only listed phones I could find new to buy in the UK currently otherwise the Xiaomi section would be huge Haha but thanks for your input.

2
betetta•

No prob. Mentioned it mostly because of the ram usage, i think most of the options You posted come available with 4gb ram already, the fact that it Still runs smoothly with 3gb might help people who would like to try doublescreen but are worried about lag or the Battery draining too fast

2
sinofpride9•

can confirm the redmi 4 series. I personally own a redmi 4x(santoni) with 3gb ram and snapdragon 425. it lags but is playable.

2
5c044•

Xiaomi phones have only been officially available in the UK for a few months. I bought my mi mix2s from China. Its surprisingly good playing 2 accts in split screen mode, no lag.

2
ChronitonOP•

Yeah most people imported them before the end of last year but they've only been widely available enough for me to really look at different models for a few months.

There's more models that arent available here though.

Android 8.1 has also only been available for around the same amount of time so Samsung phones being able to perform the same function is still new too.

People like to have choice, especially when it comes to spending money and I enjoy research so it made sense to give people a comprehensive list to choose from.

As more devices get Android 8.1 or Samsung update multistar to work with 9.0 I'll update the list.

2
RJFerret•

do not think Pokemon Go actually supports split screen

Not sure why, I've used it split screen. Some windows aren't optimized though.

3
ChronitonOP•

Yeah most phones can put it in split screen but I don't think niantic have built the app to support it.

2
5c044•

It's the default to be resizable since android 7 unless you explicitly disable it so developers don't have to do anything special. https://developer.android.com/guide/topics/ui/multi-window explains it, and gives info about apps being active or not which might explain differences between xiaomi and other implementations.

2
ChronitonOP•

Thanks for the info, with this then it would mean all Huawei devices should also support simultaneous split-screen and be able to be used just like Xiaomi devices as their email response to me said all apps that support split-screen are able to be used simultaneously and don't pause when not in use.

I'd need to find someone with a Huawei device to test it.

2
ammmze•

It may also be worth noting than Android Q is supposed to introduce this functionality natively called Multi-Resume. https://www.xda-developers.com/android-q-splitscreen-multitasking-multi-resume/

3
ChronitonOP•

I did mention that on one of the comments :P

Unfortunately Q is likely quite far off yet.

1
ammmze•

👍 must have missed it. But yeah, the Developer preview will likely be out in the next few months and the official release will likely be in October. Then it depends on the phone manufacturer to push through the update. For Pixel phone users it will be available sooner than most.

1
ChronitonOP•

Unfortunately I get everything really late, I only got Pie on my S9+ last month so it'll be a long wait.

Might end up getting a new phone once it's released.

1
shigutso•

Interesting. I wonder why there's no custom ROM or Magisk module with this feature. If Xiaomi enabled this on their MIUI ROMs and there's even an app for Samsung Galaxies, it shouldn't be very hard to enable this feature on any phone with root or a custom ROM.

Is it possible to get the APK of this Multistar app? Will it work on other phones?

I've heard that the Pocofone F1 can also run multiple apps simultaneously.

2
ChronitonOP•

It is possible to get the multistar APK but I've not managed to get it running on my S9+ (Android 9.0), it said something like it has been removed, someone more knowledgeable than me may be able to do something with it though, maybe on an 8.0 device.

I haven't heard anyone mention the pocophone for this, I'll look into it, thanks for the info.

3
agree-with-you•

I agree, this does seem possible.

1
BroVival•

I've got 2 Accounts simultaneously working on a Samsung Galaxy S8 with Android Pie. I've simply used "island" to clone the app and run both in splitscreen.

But I have a question: Couldn't niantic easily figure out that 2 accounts are simultaneously connecting to their servers from the same device? I know it's whether save nor legal to do that, but what are the chances to get banned because of this?

2
ChronitonOP•

Any android device can run 2 instances of the game in split screen, the issue is being able to input to both at the same time, on the majority of devices, while you're using 1 of them the other one freezes, until you tap on it to make it active again and in turn thr other freezes.

All of the devices I mentioned do not freeze 1 of the games while you're using the other, both stay active.

Niantic could easily see 2 games running on 1 device but have no way of knowing that it's one person playing 2 accounts, it could easily be 2 people playing their accounts in 1 device because they can't afford a 2nd device, one has a broken device so they're using 1 until it's repaired/replaced, one ran out of power during play so they're continuing play both on the same device, there's multiple legitimate uses for the function that niantic can't do anything.

3
BroVival•

Ah, didn't know that. Thanks for the explanation!

2
5c044•

They could, androids have a unique I'd that can be read through api. I'm not sure they care enough to check though. They would probably be more concerned about false positives and people complaining through their support staff and the extra workload that would create.

2
mitkey06•

can I know if "island" is an app that I can download the the google play ?

1
BroVival•

Yes it is. From "Oasis Feng"

1
Razer334•

Does this only work with 1 google account and 1 trainer club? Or can it work with 2 google accounts?

2
ChronitonOP•

2 of either.

2
Razer334•

That's good news :D. Thanks.

2
ChronitonOP•

This also works on any Samsung phone running android Pie now too thanks to a recent update.

2
Razer334•

android Pie

Good news for the people that have a phone with Pie. My Galaxy s4 struggles even with 1 account already... so I will buy one of the xiaomi phones.

2
pogoit•

On the first instance you can use all your google accounts.

If you want many google accounts on the "dual app", you have to install "Google Play games" to add additional google accounts to "dual apps".

2
box_of_chocolates23•

I just got a redmi note 7 the other day and I installed Google play games but it still logs into the first account I sign in with it - my understanding was I log in and out of accounts with Google play games and then access the dual app but that's not working so now I'm not sure what to do. Am I doing this wrong? :/

2
pogoit•

Do you already have both PoGo and "Google Play games" running as a dual app (yellow corner on the icon)?

To switch between accounts I have to logoff in PoGo and then I can choose the desired google account.

You have to add all the additional google accounts twice, once in the settings and once in the dual app "Google Play games".

1
box_of_chocolates23•

Yes! I figured managed to figure it out earlier thank you though :)

2
box_of_chocolates23•

I am tempted to buy one of these phones because my old phone is in need of an upgrade (iphone 6). My only concern is the risk of my account getting banned. Does the TOS explicitly say that a phone running two instances of the game is a bannable offense? Or is it a gray area? I would hate to start a second account, grind on it to level 35, and the have niantic ban both my main and the new account ):

2
ChronitonOP•

The ToS does not have any restrictions on running 2 accounts on 1 device, even simultaneously, it only states that 1 person cannot use more than 1 account but there is absolutely no way for niantic to know that it's not 2 people using the accounts on the same phone, which is 100% allowed, there is no chance of you getting banned.

I have 4 phones on the handlebars of my bike all running 2 accounts, never any issues.

Edit: Just as an update to my original post, there's been an update from Samsung an now any of their devices that are running Android 9 (Pie) can do this too.

3
box_of_chocolates23•

Nice, thank you very much. Also, would you have any idea if the pocophone f2 (a xiaomi phone) would be able to run two instances of pogo? Its a new phone that comes out in may. What feature am i looking for to know if it can multi account?

2
ChronitonOP•

It just needs to be running Xiaomis Miui version of Android rather than stock, I had replies on here saying the F1 runs 2 fine so it's almost guaranteed that the F2 will too.

3
box_of_chocolates23•

Thanks!

2
pogoit•

Most xiaomi phone can do that, there are two model with pure android.

The pocophone f2 will probably not arrive before august, that's why I bought my xiaomi now and I'm very happy.

To make it difficult, I bought a xiaomi with chinese ROM and I had to wait 2 weeks to unlock my smartphone and put the european ROM on it. (https://xiaomi.eu/ )

2
box_of_chocolates23•

xioami redmi note 7 user here, would you happen to know how to sign in and out of accounts with the "dual app", the cloned app of Pokémon go? I can sign in and out of multiple accounts with the original app, but the first account I use on the cloned version will permanently log in to the first account used.

2
ChronitonOP•

I think there's a settings area for it somewhere, you have to completely remove the account you first signed in with and add another, it can only hold 1 account at a time, this is one benefit of using a Samsung device for it, secure folder can hold multiple accounts.

3
box_of_chocolates23•

Found a solution! I cloned Google play games and on that cloned app I signed in another account and then opened the clone of pokemon go, which finally revealed the "select account / add another account" option in the clone of Pokémon go. It's pretty dumb lol but hey now I can sign in and out of accounts on the clone. I also uninstalled Google play games and it's clone after that and the pogo clone still lets me choose accounts.

2
pearlchoco•

xiaomi pocophone f1 works too

nothing extra to install

1
CVilaca•

Have you tried with two Google accounts?

2
pearlchoco•

yes. you have to install google play games. ok uhm just need install some stuff lol

2
pogoit•

You should have typed that in capital letters.

It took me a few hours to find "google play games" to add additional google accounts to "dual apps" on my xiaomi MI MAX 3. Without that you can only install one google account.

1
[deleted]•

[removed]

1
DreadPirate_Roberts_•

You listed the note 6 pro and the note 5 twice

1
ChronitonOP•

Thanks, I completely missed that.

1
aloefreshus•

I bought a Redmi Note 7 from China and it works well with two accounts in split windows. But the GPS is pretty crappy and you will get "GPS signal not found" very often indoors.

The thing that is not working is that, I can't buy gold coins from the in-app shop. The front account says "Something went wrong ..." when you click to buy. The back account just won't show the gold coin purchase portion at all.

1
pandaexpress88•

I use a redmi note 5 for this and it works pretty good for the most part.

The only issue i run into is when my 1st team dies in a raid and i get sent back to the lobby. The screen doesn't show the whole lobby completely and the "rejoin" button cannot be seen. This creates issues in short man situations as i can't jump back in very quickly at all so i usually try to just make sure there are enough people to finish the raid off without me having to jump back in.

Anyone else have this issue/figure out a way to resolve it?

1
ChronitonOP•

Some devices will show the rejoin button if you drag the screen to 3/4 size but most just mess up the scailing of everything on screen and you can't do anything, haven't found any definite fix for this yet.

1
pandaexpress88•

Ya for me if you drag the top screen down to 3/4 or the biggest you can see the rejoin. But no matter how you drag the bottom it won't show.

I have tried to close the split and open up the two instances separately but often that errors me out of the raid and I lose a pass so definitely not a good solution either.

1
[deleted]•

[deleted]

1
ChronitonOP•

Install good lock from the galaxy store and then multi star in the good lock app will keep both active.

1
[deleted]•

[deleted]

1
ChronitonOP•

Don't think so, pretty sure they run stock android, you'd have to wait for Android Q to be available.

1
[deleted]•

[deleted]

1
ChronitonOP•

There's been a lot more added in recent months, the list isn't very up to date any more, pretty much any recent Xiaomi or Samsung device will be fine, the Mi 9 will work.

1
[deleted]•

[deleted]

1
vincoching•

Hi, does anybody know how to remove a Google account from a dual app?
I have a Pocophone F1 with MIUI 10.2

1
Rindeil•

Just coming in to say f--- you for making it easier on kids to monopolize areas and harass single account players.

Scumbags like you are the reason this practice is so common.

-12
ChronitonOP•

Yeah because I have control of other people and make them do things.

People like me who enjoy the exercise of researching tech related subjects, I don't even multi-account myself.

There's also very legitimate reasons for this existing, there are families who can't afford more than 1 phone and legitimately play 2 accounts with 2 people on 1 phone.

Go take your anonymous internet keyboard warrioring to someone you can actually offend.

8
[deleted]•

[deleted]

1
Rindeil•

You literally said this is to help other people multi account so yes, f--- you. Don't try and act like you aren't enabling one of the biggest things that drive longer term players away.

I'm not trying to offend you, I'm simply telling you to go f--- yourself on behalf of those you're actively helping spoil the gym experience for, including me.

-6
ChronitonOP•

I didn't deny that, I'm saying the information is useful to people other than those you're so immensely triggered by.

No matter what my reasons where for researching this, which is nothing at all to do with you, some people think the free sharing of information is a good thing.

People can do with that information what they like, I don't care, you seem to care too much XD

3
Rindeil•

Again, not immensely triggered, or upset, or anything else you might think I am. You can take my statement at face value - multi-boxers can and do ruin the experience for longer term players, and f--- you for helping enable them.

Free sharing of information is generally good, except when that information is intended to benefit a small subsection of people at the expense of a much larger group. Just because you aren't doing it yourself, conspiring with those who would do it makes you just as much of a jerk.

Any meaning beyond the face value of the words I posted above are inferred by your own guilty conscience, my dude. I aint upset, im just sayin f--- you to someone I think is doing something jerky.

-3
5c044•

Niantic being assholes with sinnoh stones has probably promoted multi accounting recently. It's a crap decision to make pvp the main way to get sinnoh stones. I was talking to someone has 3 accounts, last community gets 30 sinnoh stones, evolve and trade the good ones into his main account.

1