Today, PlayStation Europe announced via Twitter that the upcoming 1.70 firmware update for the PlayStation 4 will go live on April 30. The 1.70 update looks to address some of the shortcomings of the PS4 user experience.
SHAREfactory is one of the new features in the update; it gives users greater control over screenshots and video captured through the Dual Shock 4 controller’s Share button. SHAREfactory will include a video editing application for customizing captured video; a feature that comes standard on the PS4′s closest competitor, the Xbox One. Customized videos can be uploaded directly to Facebook, and new to 1.70, users now have to option to transfer their captures directly onto a USB-connected storage device. Other capture enhancements include customization options for captured video length, greater control over who captures are shared with and the “removal of default saves for screenshots and video”.
The 1.70 update will also allow users to pre-load games; downloading games days in advance of release date so that users can play them without having to wait through a download.
Finally, the long-requested ability to toggle HDCP off will be making the cut. HDCP is a copy-protection technology that prevents users from directly recording footage through the system’s HDMI port. This new feature will be a godsend for enthusiast streamers and those that want more creative control over their captured video.
The update will also include a selection of Japan-specific updates for streaming services NicoNico Douga and Ustream as well as remote play functionality through Vita TV - a screen-less micro-console variant of the PS Vita that has yet to have a western announcement. Sony has told us that more details are to follow “soon” so check back with us later, in the meantime here’s a video courtesy of Sony Japan showing off some of the new features in action.
Shehzaan Abdulla
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