PS4 will get MP3 and CD support with update, DLNA also being considered

Shuhei Yoshida, head of Sony Worldwide Studios, has said that the PlayStation 4 (PS4) will get MP3 and CD playback abilities in a post launch update.

Yoshida said that the company was surprised by the reaction from consumers to the news that the PS4 would not support MP3 playback, or CD playback, right away. However, he said adding support was always intended, it just wasn't prioritized.

"The biggest surprise for us all internally at Sony was there are so many people who passionately reacted to our announcement that there's no MP3 support or CD support on day one. Its not like we actively decided; let's not do this feature so people will have to subscribe to Music Unlimited," he said in a a recent ep of GiantBomb's Interview Dumptruck.

"The focus has been more on the game features. Some of the features we wanted but we couldn't get in on day one. We didn't really think about MP3 or CD. We thought 'we're going to do that eventually.'"

The Sony bass also revealed that they are kicking around the possibility of DLNA support via an update. The Xbox One is currently in the process of being certified for DLNA.

Written by: James Delahunty @ 12 Nov 2013 23:26

SuckRaven

This is embezzlement at its finest. Think about it. SONY and others would like you to think that development on the PS4 started shortly after the PS3 was released. (Of course gaming box manufacturers want to squeeze maximal profit out of games, and more recently nickle&dime downloads) They "intend" for their consoles to have a certain "life cycle" blah blah blah. Anyway, I'm pretty sure whoever was at the helm of console development woke up one morning maybe 2 years ago and said... "Yupp, it's been long enough. I guess we had better start "developing" the PS4." Meaning they waited for the hardware to become available, and then said, yeah, let's throw some of that goodness in there. Sure they may have tweaked some of the hardware themselves and have some proprietary software. The point is...WTF? How do you spend "10" years developing the "future" of consoles, and not include mp3 and CD playback, or even DLNA at launch? Exactly for the reasons mentioned above. Development has NOT been taking place for "a while", it was will be rushed out, as always, and require immediate software/firmware updates to not be a brick/paperweight. Don't really know why this surprises me anymore, and yet it does somehow. Every time. You'd figure they'd take a really mature console like the PS3, and build on it, but it seems like SONY has invented some sort of time machine, and is stripping out features even before the console is released. Can't wait to see what this hardware gets reduced to 3 or 4 hardware revisions from launch. =) It probably won't even have a CPU anymore on the grounds that if it did have one, it could be hacked. =) Not a huge console gamer myself, but I own both the PS3 and the XBOX 360. I might get one of the new consoles. However, it seems that companies all want desperately to get everyone on some sort of subscription teat eventually. It's a sure thing. Subscriptions are dangerous that way. Most people, once they are signed up for something, cannot be bothered to unsubscribe, because it is a "hassle" and some entities make it incredibly hard to "get out".

Anyway... just kind of expected something like this. I'll wait for the dust to settle before making a decision. Not looking good though.

SuckRaven

13.11.2013 08:52 #1

jookycola

Quote:"Its not like we actively decided; let's not do this feature so people will have to subscribe to Music Unlimited"
Uhhhhh, Yeah it is. It like exactly what you decided. Because you actively programed it to in game stream music....from music unlimited.

Do these people seriously think we're all morons?

13.11.2013 12:07 #2

A5J4DX

bit stupid not to sony

13.11.2013 18:18 #3

scorpNZ

Whats a cd !

AD Guides: http://www.afterdawn.com guides/
Console Mod Tuts: http://www.realmodscene.com/

13.11.2013 18:24 #4

bhetrick

Originally posted by scorpNZ: Whats a cd !

14.11.2013 08:47 #5

Bozobub

Furthermore, DLNA requires very specific hardware which already has to be present to make it work. Sony's statement has bull fecal matter well-slathered all over it.

14.11.2013 18:38 #6

Azuran

Originally posted by SuckRaven: This is embezzlement You use that word, but I don't think you know what it means...

14.11.2013 22:11 #7

Bozobub

I believe the proper quote is:

"You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means." - Inigo Montoya, The Princess Bride

15.11.2013 02:17 #8

KillerBug

LoL..."We were focused on gaming, that's why we didn't have time to include our subscription music service, MP3 or CD support...oh wait, we did include that first, hardest one that no one wants, but we didn't include those easy features that you can do with a 16-bit microcontroller and an afternoon of amateruish programming because it would have been too hard. The good news? Now all the launch titles will refuse to play your MP3s, but will support our overpriced subscription music service that doesn't have half the stuff you want!"

"BTW...the signature exclusive of playstation, Gran Turismo won't play on our new console in spite of the new version being released AFTER the PS4...we expect to have the next version done within a year, just like we expected on the PS3...and hey, that one was only delayed 3.5 years."

15.11.2013 08:13 #9

scorpNZ

Originally posted by bhetrick: Originally posted by scorpNZ: Whats a cd !

lol

AD Guides: http://www.afterdawn.com guides/
Console Mod Tuts: http://www.realmodscene.com/

15.11.2013 23:52 #10

xecuterbo

Originally posted by KillerBug: LoL..."We were focused on gaming, that's why we didn't have time to include our subscription music service, MP3 or CD support...oh wait, we did include that first, hardest one that no one wants, but we didn't include those easy features that you can do with a 16-bit microcontroller and an afternoon of amateruish programming because it would have been too hard. The good news? Now all the launch titles will refuse to play your MP3s, but will support our overpriced subscription music service that doesn't have half the stuff you want!"

"BTW...the signature exclusive of playstation, Gran Turismo won't play on our new console in spite of the new version being released AFTER the PS4...we expect to have the next version done within a year, just like we expected on the PS3...and hey, that one was only delayed 3.5 years." Got a link/source to programming a 16 bit microcontroller to play cd's? Sounds cool, but cant seem to find anything...

17.11.2013 08:04 #11

KillerBug

Originally posted by xecuterbo: Originally posted by KillerBug: LoL..."We were focused on gaming, that's why we didn't have time to include our subscription music service, MP3 or CD support...oh wait, we did include that first, hardest one that no one wants, but we didn't include those easy features that you can do with a 16-bit microcontroller and an afternoon of amateruish programming because it would have been too hard. The good news? Now all the launch titles will refuse to play your MP3s, but will support our overpriced subscription music service that doesn't have half the stuff you want!"

"BTW...the signature exclusive of playstation, Gran Turismo won't play on our new console in spite of the new version being released AFTER the PS4...we expect to have the next version done within a year, just like we expected on the PS3...and hey, that one was only delayed 3.5 years." Got a link/source to programming a 16 bit microcontroller to play cd's? Sounds cool, but cant seem to find anything... Start with the Arduino WAV library (CD=PCM=WAV) and find a stepper motor library to fit whatever donor hardware you will be using to spin the disk and you will be halfway there before you write a single line of code. I'm not sure anyone has ever bothered to do it...might as well make an Arduino ediphone.

18.11.2013 18:18 #12

Bozobub

THAT would be pretty cool, actually. Not necessarily useful, sure, but cool nonetheless.

18.11.2013 20:18 #13

AfterDawn: News