Sony's 'PlayStation App' for PS4 to extend second screen capabilities to iOS devices
In a follow-up to Sony's PS4 announcement on Wednesday, the company released a statement regarding the platform's "second screen" abilities, noting that Apple's iOS devices will be supported.
According to Sony Computer Entertainment Inc., the "PlayStation App" will allow iPhone, iPad and Android device owners to use their devices with the upcoming PlayStation 4 console. While second screen apps were touched on in today's platform unveiling, specific device support went unmentioned.
Information regarding the app's capabilities is scarce, and it is unclear how feature-rich Sony is willing to make the second screen experience given that the company is pushing hard to incorporate its own handheld, the PS Vita, as part of the PS4 ecosystem.
Microsoft currently offers its own app, called Xbox SmartGlass, for the Xbox 360, though the title's feature set offers little more than controlling basic console functions.
AppleInsider has reached out to Sony for more information and will update this story when we know more.
According to Sony Computer Entertainment Inc., the "PlayStation App" will allow iPhone, iPad and Android device owners to use their devices with the upcoming PlayStation 4 console. While second screen apps were touched on in today's platform unveiling, specific device support went unmentioned.
Information regarding the app's capabilities is scarce, and it is unclear how feature-rich Sony is willing to make the second screen experience given that the company is pushing hard to incorporate its own handheld, the PS Vita, as part of the PS4 ecosystem.
During the keynote, Gaikai founder David Perry noted users will be able to purchase game content from mobile devices and have it downloaded to their consoles at home. Another possibility for the app is live streaming to friends' devices through the PS4's "Share" option, though this feature was mentioned in regard to the PS Vita.A new application from SCE called ?PlayStation?App? will enable iPhone, iPad, and Android based smartphones and tablets to become second screens Once installed on these devices, users can, for example, see maps on their second screens when playing an adventure game, purchase PS4 games while away from home and download it directly to the console at home, or remotely watch other gamers playing on their devices.
Microsoft currently offers its own app, called Xbox SmartGlass, for the Xbox 360, though the title's feature set offers little more than controlling basic console functions.
AppleInsider has reached out to Sony for more information and will update this story when we know more.
Comments
"Sir, Wii U has second-screen capabilities in their controller. What do we do?"
We die.
MAN! bring back backward compatibility
30% for Apple?
It's good they made this announcement, otherwise we never would have suspected that they were working on PS4. Too bad they didn't actually have anything to show. As of now, the PS4 and all it's features, accessories, etc. are mere vaporware.
I was excited about this revelation until I really thought about it. If you can push the game to your iPhone/iPad/iPod, how the hell are you going to port the controls for the myriad of games? Even if the app is iPad only, is Sony going to standardize controls for all games? Are the game developers going to have to factor in controls for each platform the game "senses" it's being pushed to (PS Vita, iOS, Android, PC, etc.)?
Unless it's just a spectator mode or Sony assumes you're going to connect a DualShock controller via bluetooth to your device du jour, I don't see much use it in. However, maybe I'm not thinking correctly and I'm absolutely wrong.
Originally Posted by Suddenly Newton
"Sir, Wii U has second-screen capabilities in their controller. What do we do?"
I'm just surprised that THAT industry has let Sony's decades of Microsofting of Nintendo go completely unpunished.
I am not that familiar with the politics of the gaming industry. What types Microsofting" are you referring to?
Originally Posted by iSteelers
I am not that familiar with the politics of the gaming industry. What types Microsofting" are you referring to?
First, I'm making that verb up to equate the action of directly copying a competitor, to clarify (for anyone reading).
But as for Sony, let's see… I'll type it out if I can't find that nice, concise image…
Ah, well. First, the PlayStation was created after Sony broke away from Nintendo in their agreement to design and create a next generation console for Nintendo. This would have been the generation that contained the N64. The original PlayStation controller looked like this, and was an understandable expansion on the SNES controller of the previous generation.
Then the Nintendo 64 was released, whose controller looked like this. Cue Sony's second controller for the first PlayStation.
Ah, never mind. Found it!
Oh, and of course the PlayStation Move, which is an utterly shameless and public statement that they were wrong about the Wii's controller in the first place. Sony has a history of adding their competitors' previously derided features to their own products mid-revision. And now with the WiiU and PlayStation 4, Sony has chosen to make their controller touch-sensitive. Image needs to be updated for those.
Famously, this is the original PlayStation 3 controller, shown to the public before the Wii (then still Revolution) Remote was ever shown. This is what happens when Sony's game department thinks for themselves. Is it even possible to hold this device comfortably?
Ah, and while they're not direct competitors, per say, the Sony Tablet P and the Nintendo DS. Guess which was first.
I've no love for Sony because of this. Nintendo I respect, however. They're the closest equivalent to Apple in this arena; certainly they're not afraid to experiment and destroy preconceptions of what a "gaming device" is, both in handheld and console form.
Unfortunately, both companies (though Sony much more), to me, don't appear to be addressing Apple well enough. Were I Nintendo, I'd jump on Apple-quality ARM chips immediately. The DS and 3DS families use ARM, of course, but with far less power.
So much could be done there to create a gaming competitor, but they'll have to move quickly. Eventually Apple WILL do something—either overtly or consequentially—that greatly expands their ecosystem's presence in gaming. And developers will jump on it faster than the Big Three console guys can react. Best to get out in front of that.
Well technically, Nintendo broke away from Sony
Originally Posted by jfanning
Well technically, Nintendo broke away from Sony
Yes, whichever. The original plan was for the device to be marketed as a Nintendo product.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Tallest Skil
Yes, whichever. The original plan was for the device to be marketed as a Nintendo product.
The "whichever" does matter, because Nintendo had been working with Sony to co-release a CD-ROM add-on to the SNES, but dumped them at the last minute because Nintendo decided they did not want to share revenue with Sony. Sony had to write off tens of millions of dollars in lost development costs, and created the original Playstation more or less in retaliation.
Given that history, I can't feel much sympathy for Nintendo's travails in the PS1 era. They tried to rip off Sony, and got ripped off in return. Tit for tat.
Originally Posted by zogzog
Given that history, I can't feel much sympathy for Nintendo's travails in the PS1 era. They tried to rip off Sony, and got ripped off in return. Tit for tat.
"Ripped off"? They stopped development.
And no, stealing IP is not "legal" or "valid" recourse for that.
Probably not gonna happen
You mean like this:
[VIDEO]
The Next Big Thing is already here! Apple blocked that app from the App Store. The company Gaikai that Sony bought was a competing service and let you play things like Battlefield 3 in your browser. There have been demos of game streaming running on the iPad:
[VIDEO]
Imagine being able to sit the iPad / iPhone/ Apple TV next to the TV with HDMI plugged in streaming Playstation 1/2/3/4 games. I wish Sony would launch the cloud service now and let any device connect.
They didn't stop, they tried to move across to Philips.
Also, as you have been told before, you can't steal IP
Originally Posted by jfanning
They didn't stop, they tried to move across to Philips.
Okay… so what's so bad about this?
Also, as you have been told before, you can't steal IP
Also, as you have been told before, pretend whatever you want to pretend.
According to articles it is consider bad for a Japanese company to dump another Japanese company for an foreign one.
No I have't
Originally Posted by jfanning
According to articles it is consider bad for a Japanese company to dump another Japanese company for an foreign one.
I don't think the companies in question care what "articles" think unless it works out poorly for them, and it didn't for Nintendo.
No I have't
There you go, then!