Technologies

Pokemon Go: Is the Gold Bottle Cap Worth Buying a $20 Battle Pass?

The new item maxes out all of the IVs on one of your Pokemon. It’s the easiest way to get a perfect shiny Pokemon in the game.

I’ve been playing Pokemon Go since its release in 2016, and I’ve never caught a perfect shiny legendary. They’re absurdly rare, because you need to roll the right stats and the alternate pigmentation on the same Pokemon.

I suspect I’ll be seeing a lot more shiny legendary Pokemon with max stats (or shundos, as the community calls them) soon, though, since developer Niantic has released the first Gold Bottle Cap into Pokemon Go.

This powerful item lets you have total control over your Pokemon’s stats for the first time in the game’s history, but there are a couple nasty catches — the biggest one being that it’s locked behind an additional $20 battle pass, and you only have one week to complete it.

Is it worth it for you to buy that pass and grind out the tiers until you have that sweet Gold Bottle Cap? Here’s what you need to know about this hot commodity.

What is Pokemon Go’s Gold Bottle Cap?

The Gold Bottle Cap might be a new item in Pokemon Go, but it has made multiple appearances in mainline Pokemon games.

The first Gold Bottle Caps appeared in the Generation 7 games Sun and Moon, where they were used to max out all of a single Pokemon’s individual values (IVs). These IVs are hidden stats that are intrinsic to a Pokemon — you can manipulate them through breeding techniques, but the only way to change them on an already-generated Pokemon is through using the bottle caps.

The Gold Bottle Cap in Pokemon Go serves the same purpose as it does in the mainline games. This item will boost a single Pokemon’s Attack, Defense and HP IVs to 15 (the max value in Pokemon Go), assuming you’re able to complete the Hyper Training tasks the Gold Bottle Cap unlocks.

The current way to manipulate a Pokemon’s IVs in Pokemon Go is to trade it with a friend (and each Pokemon can only be traded once), so the Gold Bottle Cap is the only true guarantee that you’ll get a specific perfect Pokemon.

How to earn the Gold Bottle Cap in Pokemon Go

Currently, the only Gold Bottle Cap available to you in Pokemon Go is locked behind the final tier of a premium battle pass. Much like the Lucky Trinket gets locked behind the monthly Go Pass, the Gold Bottle Cap is the big draw of the special Go Fest 2025 Go Pass — so you’ll have to shell out cash and then put in the work to reach tier 100 in order to unlock this IV-maxing item.

Since this is only the first Gold Bottle Cap Pokemon Go players have had a chance to earn, it’s hard to say whether or not there will be alternative acquisition methods in the future. An item this absurdly powerful will definitely stay rare, just like the Master Ball.

If and when more Gold Bottle Caps are added to the game, it’d be a safe bet to assume they’ll remain out of reach of free-to-play players.

Is it worth it for you to buy the Ancients Recovered Go Pass?

The Ancients Recovered Go Pass is an event battle pass designed to run in tandem with Go Fest Global 2025. That means it’s extremely time limited — you can start making progress right now, but the whole battle pass will disappear after June 29. That means you have less than a week to knock out every tier.

You can earn a maximum of 10 tiers a day until June 28, and then the daily battle pass experience point limit will be uncapped. Essentially, if you don’t have a weekend to dedicate to playing Pokemon Go, there’s no way you’re going to unlock everything on this Go Pass (including the Gold Bottle Cap).

The pass also costs $20, which is a much steeper price than the $8 Niantic asks for in exchange for the monthly Go Pass.

Even if you make it to tier 100 of the event battle pass and unlock the Gold Bottle Cap, there are some strings attached to its usage. You can only use this item once, in order to boost a single Pokemon’s IVs — and if you don’t use your Gold Bottle Cap by July 6, it’ll simply disappear from your inventory. Tough luck.

You can’t use this item on Shadow Pokemon, and the Pokemon you want to use it on has to be your Good Buddy (or higher). If you don’t have a Pokemon already in mind to use the Gold Bottle Cap on, it’s probably not worth your time and money to invest in the pass.

Of course, if you are on the fence about whether or not to purchase this (very expensive) Go Pass, there are rewards on every other tier as well.

If you’re gunning for that Gold Bottle Cap tier, you’ll also pick up bonus experience points, lure modules, a lucky egg, an incense, an incubator and encounters with the legendary Pokemon Regirock, Regice, Registeel, Regieleki and Regidrago. You’ll also collect candy and candy XL for those legendaries.

If you progress the pass to the extra tiers past the Gold Bottle Cap, you can even earn upwards of 100,000 stardust — which goes far when it comes to powering up your Pokemon.

The value offered by the Gold Bottle Cap is completely subjective. Pokemon Go thrives off of FOMO — think about how long ago it was that Armored Mewtwo and the clone Pokemon from Pokemon: The First Movie last appeared in raids — but you shouldn’t feel compelled to buy into every new thing that gets added to the game. The difference between a couple IV points is negligible, and you can build a meta team of ‘mons without the Gold Bottle Cap.

Gold Bottle Cap FAQs

Technologies

Facing Billions in DMA Fines, Apple Lets EU iPhone Users Install Apps Outside the App Store

A last-minute rule change lets European iPhone owners download apps from rival stores and developer websites, while introducing new fees that Apple hopes will satisfy regulators in Brussels.

In a scramble to sidestep penalties that could soar into the billions, and with Brussels regulators watching closely, Apple has agreed to let Europeans download iPhone apps from outside its own App Store.

With just hours left before an EU compliance deadline, the company said residents of the 27-nation bloc will soon be able to grab apps from rival marketplaces or straight off a developer’s website. The change rolls out later this year with iOS 18.6 and iPadOS 18.6, and also lets users set a different browser engine and choose a third-party wallet at checkout.

For everyday EU iPhone owners, that means the download button could pop up in more places than just Apple’s storefront. After you select the new setting, iOS shows a one-time permission sheet confirming you’re leaving Apple’s marketplace. The app then passes a quick notarization scan meant to weed out malware. Apple notes that off-store downloads work only inside the EU, and disappear if you stay outside the bloc for more than 30 days.

Cost to developers

Developers do gain fresh distribution freedom, but there’s a price tag. A new two-tier Store Services fee asks for 5% of outside sales in exchange for basic services like app reviews and support in what’s called Tier 1, or 13% for the full bundle of perks, including automatic updates and App Store promotions in Tier 2.

Apple will take a 5% «Core Technology Commission» on any purchase made outside its own payment system. That new cut will phase out the current €0.50-per-download fee and become the sole charge across the EU when a unified pricing model arrives on Jan. 1, 2026.

Apple insists «more than 99%» of devs will pay the same or less under the revamped math.

Why now?

In April, the European Commission fined Apple €500 million ($585 million) for blocking developers from steering users to cheaper payment options, and warned that daily penalties of up to 5% of global revenue could follow if it failed to comply.

Throughout the back-and-forth, Apple has accused the commission of «moving the goalposts» on what counts as compliance, with a spokesperson saying the company has invested «hundreds of thousands of hours» to meet the EU’s evolving demands.

Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney blasted the 5% tier as a «malicious compliance scheme» that «makes a mockery of fair competition.»

If regulators decide Apple still hasn’t gone far enough, the iPhone maker could face steeper sanctions, or even be forced to separate its App Store business.

Technologies

Today’s Wordle Hints, Answer and Help for June 27, #1469

Here are hints — and the answer — for today’s Wordle No. 1,469 for June 27. Some players need a new starter word now.

Looking for the most recent Wordle answer? Click here for today’s Wordle hints, as well as our daily answers and hints for The New York Times Mini Crossword, Connections, Connections: Sports Edition and Strands puzzles.

Today’s Wordle puzzle isn’t too tough, but somehow, it has a starting letter I never seem to guess. Some posters on Reddit say it was one of their starter words, so now they’re in the market for a new way to begin the game. If you need a new starter word, check out our list of which letters show up the most in English words. If you need hints and the answer, read on.

Today’s Wordle hints

Before we show you today’s Wordle answer, we’ll give you some hints. If you don’t want a spoiler, look away now.

Wordle hint No. 1: Repeats

Today’s Wordle answer has no repeated letters.

Wordle hint No. 2: Vowels

There are two vowels in today’s Wordle answer.

Wordle hint No. 3: First letter

Today’s Wordle answer begins with P.

Wordle hint No. 4: Placement

The two vowels are next to each other.

Wordle hint No. 5: Meaning

Today’s Wordle answer can refer to something that is not decorated and is simple.

TODAY’S WORDLE ANSWER

Today’s Wordle answer is PLAIN.

Yesterday’s Wordle answer

Yesterday’s Wordle answer, June 26, No. 1468 was OFFER.

Recent Wordle answers

June 22, No. 1464: THRUM

June 23, No. 1465: ODDLY

June 24, No. 1466: ELITE

June 25, No. 1467: COMFY

Will Wordle run out of words?

When Wordle began, creator Josh Wardle used a list of five-letter words he’d shared with his partner, picking only the words they recognized. While that’s more than 2,000 words, more than half of them have already been used.

Wordle editor Tracy Bennett admitted that the game will eventually have to come to grips with the fact that the word list is not eternal.

«One possibility is that we could recycle old words at some point, like when we get close to the end,» Bennett told a Wordle player on TikTok.

She also said the editors might throw all the words back in and reuse them, or allow plurals, or past tense, something that’s not done now.

Technologies

Why Smart Travelers Are Switching to eSIMs This Summer

Save 20% on Nomad eSIMs and use your phone all you want around the world without spending a fortune on roaming fees and data add-ons.

Higher prices are looming for just about everything, but they’re not stopping people from planning more summer travel than ever.

Deloitte’s 2025 summer travel survey found that despite the gloomy economy, more Americans will travel this year than they did last year. And young people are especially ready for some self-care elsewhere: a survey by Allianz found that a whopping 70% of Americans under 35 are planning to take a vacation this summer.

If you’re one of the many people thirsty for a summer getaway, there’s a good chance you’re also looking to cut costs where you can. Maybe you’re opting for a cheaper mid-week flight rather than heading out on Friday, or heading somewhere off the beaten path instead of a tourist-packed metropolis.

Another smart way to trim your travel budget is to use an eSIM. You don’t have to pay pricey roaming or add-on data fees to look up local spots, post pics and check your email while you’re out of the country. Nomad eSIM, one of the most affordable options, gives you the data to do all that and more from over 200 countries. And right now you can get 20% off your first Nomad data plan with the code NOMCNET20.

What is an eSIM?

If you’ve ever upgraded your phone or switched carriers, you’re likely familiar with what a SIM card is: It’s that tiny chip in your phone that essentially connects it to your mobile carrier.

A digital eSIM is different in that it’s downloaded from the web directly into your phone. You can activate it using an app and switch carriers without the fuss of having to swap out your physical SIM card.

An eSIM can be a smart choice for travelers who want to use their phone while abroad. Because eSIMs are data-based, you’ll be able to send emails, browse the web, scroll your socials, stream videos and make data-based voice and video calls — all without having to pay the expensive roaming and data fees of your regular US-based carrier.

How a Nomad eSIM helps you save on international data

Nomad eSIM is different from the other eSIMs in that it offers an affordable plan lineup for every type of trip. Whether you’re going to Costa Rica for a week-long retreat or backpacking around Europe all summer, you can pick a plan that works for your specific needs — and budget.

If you’re visiting one destination, Nomad has you covered with daily, weekly and monthly data plans ranging from 1GB to more than 20GB with coverage in over 200 countries. Travelers can also choose daily unlimited plans for a week, and there are local plans for single-country trips or regional plans for multi-destination travel. Current prices on plans include hotspots like Thailand ($0.18/GB) and Iceland ($1/GB).

Get data plans tailored to your travel needs — and budget

If you’re exploring more than one country, the Nomad Global plan has weekly and monthly plans ranging from 1GB to 5GB and coverage in up to 112 countries. While global in reach, Nomad has intentionally focused coverage on the most popular travel destinations, helping to keep global plan costs more affordable. A 1GB, one-week Global plan starts at just $12, ideal for the occasional check-ins with loved ones and social media posts. Or you can opt for a 3GB or a 5GB Global plan starting at $26 or $36 respectively, and the data is good for one month.

eSIMs are great for frequent flyers and digital nomads, too

For backpackers, students abroad and digital nomads, the Nomad Global-EX plan offers handy six-month and year-long options that are good in up to 82 countries.

The highly affordable Global-EX offers a 10GB, six-month plan starting at just $30 and a 20GB, one-year plan starting at $50, plus the option to expand your data limit to 30GB or 50GB as needed. This plan eliminates the hassle of having to reactivate your eSIM for each trip, and it’s more affordable than other eSIM brands that offer similar data allowances for shorter durations.

And for those who prefer unlimited data, Nomad has recently expanded its offerings with 21 new unlimited plans. Perfect for travelers who don’t want to worry about running out of data or topping up, these plans start as low as $11 USD for 3 days of unlimited usage.

eSIMs provide instant, hassle-free connectivity

No matter which plan you choose, the Nomad eSIM is a snap to use. Simply download the app and activate the eSIM on your unlocked iOS or Android eSIM-compatible phone so you can get online the minute you land. There’s no physical SIM card, no contracts and no hassle.

Lock in a new Nomad plan today and score 20% off with the discount code NOMCNET20.