Sony’s new console, the Playstation 4, is scheduled to be released next week. Although it will be used primarily to play games, users also expect the console to be a complete entertainment hub for the living room. To facilitate that vision, Sony has partnered with some of the biggest names in entertainment content for the Playstation 4. Today Sony announced the PS4 will come with apps for Netflix, Hulu Plus, Amazon video and more. According to techhive.com:
“Sony has announced the entertainment apps that will be available on the PlayStation 4 when the console launches on November 15. Dominated by familiar names like Netflix, Amazon Instant, Crackle, and Hulu Plus, the lineup is similar to what’s offered on the current PS3 console.”
According to Sony, the launch lineup is as follows:
- Amazon Instant Video
- Crackle
- Crunchyroll
- Epix
- Hulu Plus
- NBA Game Time
- Netflix
- NHL GameCenter Live
- Redbox Instant
- Sony Music Unlimited
- Sony Video Unlimited
- Vudu
- YuppTV
Although the Sony PS4 is starting out with a lot of the major applications there are some notable exclusions it will need to add to the lineup in order to completely please users. As reported by techhive.com:
“Users should be well-covered for movies and television, between subscription services such as Netflix and on-demand sources such as Vudu and Amazon. Still, Sony’s game console is missing a few major video apps, including WatchESPN, HBO Go and YouTube.
“The bigger omission is music, with not a single third-party music app on the list. The only option for music on the PS4 is Sony’s own subscription-based Music Unlimited service. It’s possible that users could stream some other music sources through the PS4’s Web browser, but we won’t know how well that works until the console launches.”
The Sony Playstation 4 is set to release next week, and is gearing up for a head-to-head battle for the holidays with Microsoft, which is also releasing a new console this fall, the Xbox One. The Playstation 4 has already gained the preference of most critics, especially since it will be a $100 cheaper than the Xbox. Sony will have to fill those app omissions as swiftly as possible to ensure they keep the lead over Microsoft.
