Yeah, I think they're added to the PSS system in which you can battle, trade and communicate with your friends through that feature. I'm not entirely sure but it will be on the website more detailed!
The protagonist in your sig is walking on a route, which is Route 3. Kanto and Unova have Route 3 which means this Region if far off from the past ones, like Unova was to its predecessors.
I know, I was honestly expecting the remakes going by how the Pokémon Smash episode was going. Ah well, there may be references in these two new games... I'm just hoping we either get them at the end of this year or early 2013.