Niantic has today announced some big new additions to Pokémon Go that are designed to help you to interact with your friends when playing the game.
First up, the new Friends feature, which will start rolling out later this week, will enable you to connect with your friends in the real world, as well as letting you send them items, trade Pokémon with them, and earn bonuses. In order to add a friend you’ll first have to get them to share their Trainer Code with you, then you must enter it, then send them a request. When they accept your request, they will then appear in your Friends List.
When you spin a Photo Disc at a PokéStop or Gym you might get a special Gift, which you won’t be able to open yourself, but which you can send to a friend on your Friends List. The Gift will include various items that your friend can use, as well as a postcard showing you where they got the Gift. Some Gifts might also include a special Egg containing an Alolan form of a Pokémon originally found in the Kanto region.
When you take part in a raid or Gym battle with your friend or send them a Gift, your Friendship Level will increase. The higher your friendship level, you’ll be able to unlock bonuses when you play together.
Trading has also finally arrived in Pokémon Go thanks to the new Friendship system. When you reach Trainer Level 10 or higher and are near your friend you can trade your Pokémon with that friend. A completed trade will earn you a bonus Candy for the Pokémon that you’ve traded, and the bonus will be greater if the Pokémon that you traded were caught in locations that are far apart from each other. Also, the higher your friendship level, the less Stardust you’ll require to complete a trade with your friend.
Source: Make Way for Friends, Trading, and Gifting in Pokémon GO! - Pokémon GO