Pokémon GO's battery life draining problem a "known issue"

A word of warning for anyone trying Pokémon GO today - beware how much battery it gobbles up.

Early reports from those with the app have shown how much it munches through your power reserves. But this is a "known issue", developer Niantic has said.

"Heavy battery use" is listed among the developer's list of "common bugs", although hopefully will be fixed in a coming update.

"Some devices may experience battery drain while playing Pokémon GO for prolonged periods of time," Niantic has warned. "We are working on a solution."

Heavy battery use is to be expected - and is a hangover from the similar AR game Ingress. Like that app, Pokémon GO uses Wi-Fi or data, GPS and 3D graphics processing simultaneously - all of which add up to a power-draining cocktail.

The augmented-reality app has only officially launched in a couple of countries, although anyone can download Pokémon Go now, even in the UK, with this trick.

You'll also likely want to know Pokémon GO's microtransaction prices in advance, just so you know what you're getting yourself into.

Playing Pokémon Go? Check out our Pokémon Go guide and beginner's tips to get the most out of finding, catching and leveling up.