Sony is the recipient of a newly published patent in Japan showing multiple illustrations of what may be the upcoming PlayStation 5 controller's design. As previously leaked, the patent indicates the new controller will feature a built-in microphone (possibly two); there are also some small changes to the overall design compared to the DualShock 4, though the two look very similar at first glance.
With rumors of Sony silently winding down its mobile business despite PR statements from executives, it's probably not much of a surprise that the company is hardly able to keep up with the latest in Android updates. That makes it an almost pleasant surprise when it does make a public commitment to upgrade its most recent phones to the most recent Android version. At least starting sometimes next month at the earliest, that is.
Sony has released a major software update in the US and Japan for its aibo robotic dog, the company has announced. Software version 2.50 is made for the ERS1000 aibo model, bringing 'whimsical' capabilities that include the ability to potty train the dog, feed it virtual cookies, and other fun things. As well, the robot dog also has a new web-based API with visual programming for beginners.
It might be doing terribly on smartphones but Sony is, fortunately, doing well in most of its other businesses. Its PlayStation, under the Sony Interactive Entertainment company, remains one of the top two (or three) gaming systems in the world and it could get an infusion of new interest and profits with the expected launch of the PlayStation 5. That may not be the only thing that Sony is preparing for, however, as hints of a new gaming device may be on the way thanks to a patent for a gaming cartridge.
Sony might no longer have much of a smartphone business to speak of but its imaging sensors are used by a large number of smartphones to pull off impressive photography feats. The Sony IMX586, in particular, is often what's used whenever you hear about a 48 megapixel camera. Unsurprisingly, Sony already has a successor in the works and it's already teasing this IMX686 even before the sensor hits the market next year.
There's a pretty big shake up going on at Sony Interactive Entertainment's Worldwide Studios today, as Guerrilla Games co-founder Hermen Hulst has been announced as the new head of the company. That means current president Shuhei Yoshida will be stepping down from that role, but he isn't leaving Sony - instead, he's heading up a new initiative primarily focused around independent developers and the games they make.
With Death Stranding's release a little more than a week away, Kojima Productions today released the game's launch trailer. This is probably the final trailer we're see for Death Stranding before it's on shelves, and it's closing out the marketing campaign for the title in a big way. Set aside some time, because the launch trailer for Death Stranding clocks in at nearly eight minutes long.
Sony, like many other companies, recently released a new quarterly financial report, and in it we received an update on how PlayStation 4 sales are doing. If you've been following the story of the PlayStation 4, then it probably won't be a surprise to learn that sales are still really good. In fact, the console has become the second-best selling home console of all time, sitting behind only the PlayStation 2.
On November 1, Apple will officially launch the Apple TV+ video subscription service in many countries, giving customers access to a number of original TV shows and movies. Ahead of that debut comes the rollout of the Apple TV app, which was released on Fire TV streaming devices a few days ago. According to a new report, the app is now appearing on select Sony smart TVs, joining the Samsung models on which it was already available.
As we barrel toward the next generation of video game consoles, it seems Sony is looking to trim some fat. Today the company announced that it will be shutting down PlayStation Vue so it can narrow its focus to its core gaming business. The shut down won't be happening for a few months yet, with Sony deciding not to pull the plug until we're into 2020.
Death Stranding is a game that already features a number of high-profile celebrity appearances, namely those of Norman Reedus, Guillermo del Toro, and Mads Mikkelsen, but today we're learning of another one: Conan O'Brien. During a recent episode of Conan, the late night host visited Kojima Productions in Japan to check in on the development of Death Stranding, with game director Hideo Kojima ultimately asking him if he wanted to be in the game.
Given the popularity of the The Last of Us, it's safe to assume that The Last of Us Part 2 is one of the most anticipated upcoming games for PlayStation 4, if not the most anticipated. Unfortunately, those who have been waiting for this game were told today that they'd have to wait a bit longer. Naughty Dog delayed The Last of Us Part 2 today, pushing it back from its original release date of February 21st, 2020.