After putting it down for months I felt slightly compelled to get back into the game because of all the updates and festivities stuff.
But in real life I found it unacceptable to go back into that "open app, stick phone in pocket upside down and pray you don't accidentally lock it or exit the app, and if this wasn't inconvenient already, enjoy the battery drain".
That's why I stopped playing when the Pokémon Plus came came out, I ordered one and it has been backordered since.
I have an Apple Watch, so that could fix it as well, but alas, it seems to be just one more Niantic-branded vapourware feature. Or one more lie.
Just venting my frustrations, carry on.