PlayStation 4 system software
system software ) | |
Official website |
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The PlayStation 4 system software is the updatable
Technology
System
The native operating system of the PlayStation 4 is Orbis OS, which is a fork of FreeBSD version 9.0 which was released on January 12, 2012.[6][7]
The PlayStation 4 features two graphics
Most developers start with Gnmx, which wraps around Gnm, and in turn manages the more esoteric GPU details. This can be a familiar way to work if the developers are used to platforms like Direct3D 12.
Another key area of the game is its programmable
It has been suggested that the PlayStation Shader Language is very similar to the
Besides the kernel and related components, other components included and worth mentioning are Cairo, jQuery, Lua, Mono, OpenSSL, WebKit, and the Pixman rendering library.
Many of these are open-source software, although the PlayStation 4 is not an open console.[7][10]
The
Graphical shell
The PlayStation 4 uses the PlayStation Dynamic Menu as its
The PlayStation 4's user interface attempts simplicity as a priority. The main place for entertainment options, the Content area, is prominently displayed with large square icons on a horizontal line arranged by the most recently used. Users can scroll through this gamer newsfeed in an alternating, brick-like formation reminiscent of the social media site Pinterest. Many other main objects will display additional information when having the cursor selected on them. A game may have news updates or advertisements for its downloadable content. Recently played games receive tiles along with a number of mandatory items like the Live from PlayStation and the Internet Browser applications. Content icon customization and options on how to sort them would give players a way to mold the display to better suit their needs.[16]
Augmented Reality
The
Remote Play and second screen
Through Remote Play users can operate their PS4 through the uses of a PlayStation Vita handheld game console, allowing for the play of PS4 games and other media on the small device via streaming.[17] All games that do not require the PlayStation Move or PlayStation Camera are compatible.[18]
The second screen can be used to display unique content when playing games that support this option, but it should not be confused with a split-screen. The second screen may be used to show extra content like maps, alternate camera angles, radar or even playbooks in sports games. Apart from PlayStation Vita, other mobile devices such as iPads or Android tablets can also be used as a second screen.[19] That comes in the form of both the official PlayStation App and game companion apps such as Knack's Quest.[17]
Social features
A heavy emphasis on social features has been placed on the PlayStation 4 console, loading up the PS4 with a number of share-centric apps and features. The [What's New] feature, which allows users to check out their friends' latest activities via a landing page full of their pictures, trophies and other recent events, is an easy way to find out what friends have been up to. On the other hand, a cross-chat feature dubbed [Party Chat] is an interesting way to keep in touch. This gives gamers the ability to chat with other users whether or not they're playing the same title.
The PS4's sharing capabilities adds another layer to console gaming. PS4 owners are able to capture or livestream the gameplay with a simple button touch. They can record up to 60 minutes of their latest gaming exploits with a quick press of the Share button on the controller. Footage can be shared on
There are also other social features such as community creation. Some of them are introduced via system updates. Favorite Groups is a new section within the Friends app, and acts as a way to quickly access other people a user plays with the most. This feature is aimed at making it easier and faster to get into a game session with friends. On the other hand, communities are new hubs that can be formed around shared interests like games, activities, or play styles. There also exist other smaller social features on PS4, such as the ability to message a friend with a request to watch their gameplay live.[21]
Internet features
While the PlayStation 4 console can function without an
The web browser included in the PlayStation 4 console is based on the open source WebKit layout engine, unlike the PlayStation 3 which uses the NetFront browser.[24] Using the same modern Webkit core as Safari from Apple, the PS4 web browser receives a very high score in HTML5 compliance testing.[25] However, just like other major browsers,[26] it does not support the deprecated[27] Adobe Flash, which means that websites which still require Flash might not display properly or function as intended. Also, the PDF format is not supported. However, one clear advantage for gamers is being able to cut between gaming and browsing and back again with no loss of gameplay due to the multitasking feature of the web browser.[28] Additionally, while the PS4 web browser has limited support for USB keyboards, it does not seem to support USB mice at all.[29]
Furthermore, with Internet connection enabled the PlayStation 4 allows users to access a variety of PlayStation Network (PSN) services, including the PlayStation Store, PlayStation Plus subscription service, and more. Users may download or buy games and other content from these services. Also, gamers are able to play a selection of PS3 titles via the Internet-based PlayStation Now gaming service. PS Now is a cloud-based gaming subscription service from Sony Interactive.[30]
Multimedia features
The PlayStation 4 supports playing standard 12-centimeter
The
In 2023 the Sony Pictures Core video service was launched on PS4.[35]
Backward compatibility
The PlayStation 4 was not
History of updates
The initial version of the system software for the PlayStation 4 is 1.01 as pre-installed on the original consoles. Support for the Remote Play and second screen experiences were added in version 1.50, which was launched on the same day the PlayStation 4 console itself was released in
On September 2, 2014, Sony released update 1.76 which came with minor changes and was the last update until 2.0.[46]
On October 28, 2014, Sony released update 2.00 as a major upgrade to the PlayStation 4 system software. Among the features introduced is
On March 26, 2015, Sony released update 2.50, adding a suspend/resume feature to allow players to jump in and out of games with the PS button, and games are suspended in the low-power Rest Mode instead of closing completely.
This version also allows the console's
On September 30, 2015, Sony released update 3.00. It introduced "entirely new features" and user-interface enhancements. Among the new features was the ability to share videos directly to Twitter, a dedicated PlayStation Plus section, tweaks to the interface for streaming on YouTube, improvements to social features such as messages and group creation, and the ability to save screenshots as
On April 6, 2016, Sony released update 3.50, that would enable the PS4 to use Remote Play functionality on
On September 13, 2016, Sony released update 4.00, which added High Dynamic Range (HDR) and home screen folder support, 1080p streaming, tweaks to menus and game info screens for greater overview, and streamlined interfaces.[53][54]
On March 9, 2017, Sony released update 4.50 including support for installing applications on external hard drives, custom wallpapers, refined Quick Menu, simplified notifications list, custom status updates, 3D Blu-Ray support for the PlayStation VR[55] and support for the preloading of game patches. However it is up to the developer to make use of it. The first game to take advantage of pre loading game patches is LittleBigPlanet 3.[56]
On October 3, 2017, Sony released update 5.00. Overhauling the master/sub-account system, the update allows for more customization of accounts for family members and roles, and applying parental controls to each account. The groups system is replaced with a new friends management system, along with support for 5.1 and 7.1 surround sound configurations for PlayStation VR. A new tournament bracket viewer has been made, along with tweaks to broadcasting (with 1080p streaming at 60 frames per second on Twitch now possible), and other changes to PS Message, notifications, and the quick menu. Lastly, it introduces localization for Czech, Greek, Hungarian, Indonesian, Romanian, Thai, and Vietnamese languages.[57]
5.50 was released on March 8, 2018. It includes playtime restrictions for child accounts, the ability to hide applications from the library, custom wallpapers via USB, a supersampling mode on PS4 Pro and the ability to delete notifications.[58]
On March 7, 2019, Sony released Update 6.50 that allowed users to use Remote Play on iOS devices through the Remote Play app from the App Store, and other minor improvements.
On May 10, 2019, Sony Interactive Entertainment added the ability to remove purchased games from the Download List for PlayStation Store and delete games from My Profile.
On October 8, 2019, Sony released update 7.00. The major feature that was added was the ability to use Remote Play on select Android devices running the Android Lollipop version and above. In addition, other features include chat transcription and the expanded limit for party users from 8 to 16.[59]
On October 14, 2020, Sony released update 8.00. It brought changes to existing Party and Message features. Other additions include new avatars, enhanced 2-step verification system and updated parental controls.[60]
On April 14, 2021, Sony released update 8.50, which enabled cross-play between the PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5. They also added the feature to request to join game session leaders, and more.[61]
On September 15, 2021, Sony released update 9.00 allowing PlayStation 4 users to access PlayStation 5 trophies, improvements to parental controls and messages feature.[62] This update also fixed the eventual cbomb issue discovered by Destruction Games that would cause PlayStation 4's to no longer be able to play physical or digital games.[63] Controversially, it has caused serious issues for some.[64]
On February 19, 2022, Sony released update 9.04 which claimed to have "improved system performance." and fixed issues with the game Cyberpunk 2077.[65]
On March 23, 2022, Sony released update 9.50 with Party Feature updates and Ukrainian language support.[66]
On September 7, 2022, Sony released update 10.00 improving Remote Play and other features.[67]
On September 21, 2022, Sony released update 10.01 improving the system and performance.[68]
On March 9, 2023, Sony released update 10.50 allowing the access to authorized apps in Settings.[69]
See also
Other gaming platforms from Sony:
Other gaming platforms from this generation:
- Wii U system software
- Xbox One system software
- Nintendo 3DS system software
- Nintendo Switch system software
Other gaming platforms from the seventh generation:
- Wii system software
- Xbox 360 system software
- Nintendo DSi system software
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