Sony has announced that the new software patch for PlayStation 3 – namely firmware 4.50 – will serve to bring several features from behind the PlayStation Plus’ paywall so that they are readily available for all users. These particular quirks were detailed in a blog post by Sony’s European Product Manager, Clare Sandford, and include wireless PS3 to PS Vita data transfer, new trophy options and, most importantly, automatic downloads for patches and PSN purchases.
The systematic updates will come as a welcome quirk for non PS+ users, which will allow players to program their PlayStation 3 to turn on at set intervals to check for mandatory content – a neat way to circumvent the arduous firmware downloads, no less. What’s more, firmware 4.50 will introduce additional trophy settings for the PlayStation 3 system; with users now being able to monitor and restrict which trophies are visible to friends.
And finally, the latest software patch strengthens the relationship between the PlayStation 3 and PlayStation Vita, as players will now be able to transfer all their data – be it games, movies or save files – using Wi-Fi or an Ethernet cable as opposed to a wired connection. Essentially, this wireless link will make transferring data between the console and handheld much more convenient, particularly with the cloud save feature remaining exclusive to PlayStation Plus users.
Thankfully, unlike previous firmware updates, there have been no reports of PS3’s bricking after downloading the latest patch, which has been available for the last twenty-four hours. Ultimately, the auto download will be the most desirable feature for non-PS Plus users; just be sure to keep your system on standby if you want to take full advantage of the hassle-free feature.
What do you think of these new tweaks to the PlayStation 3 interface? Are you pleased that Sony is bringing these features to non-PS Plus users? Let us know below.
