PlayStation 4's latest update adds HDR support, interface improvements
The latest PlayStation 4 update -- which brings the console up to system version 4.00 -- adds HDR support, but that feature isn't nearly as exciting as some of the other changes.
High dynamic range (HDR) imaging promises to provide a visual boost to all PS4 consoles -- not just the upcoming Pro -- so long as both the game and the display your console is connected to supports it.
While it's great news that this update allows developers to patch in HDR, it's also not a feature of any currently available PS4 games or media apps. Expect to see HDR patches start surfacing around the PS4 Pro's Nov. 10 release.
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The 4.00 update adds plenty more, however. A new quick menu pops up whenever you hold down the DualShock 4's PlayStation button, replacing current the power options menu.
The quick menu does still provide easy access to all the same power options as before, but there's more. You can also quickly check on which of your friends is online, fire up new playlists (provided you're connected via Spotify), adjust sound settings and change your online status.
A "Customize" menu option allows you to further tweak the default quick menu by adding other quick access options, including party settings, streaming features, Share Play and more.
Also new in 4.00: folders. The unwieldy media bar that defines the PS4's dashboard interface automatically pushes older content out of the feed, dumping it into a larger "Library" menu at the very end of the media bar.
Now, you can take groups of app tiles and lump them together into organized folders. You still have to deal with the horizontal media bar, but at least you have a greater measure of control over what appears there.
PS4 users also now have the ability to create Facebook-style events for groups of friends. Say you want to put a plan on the books to get your crew together for Destiny: Rise of Iron on the Friday that the raid launches. You can do that with ease, and the created event will ping all included friends with notifications.
There are other changes as well. Updates to the user interface provide more information about games, friends and Trophies. Communities let players group up with strangers that share their gaming interests. Even just the basic iconography around pop-up notifications looks cleaner.
Version 4.00 is a significant update to Sony's console that does much more than lay the groundwork for PS4 Pro's imminent launch. Expect to install it the next time you fire up your console.
Topics Gaming PlayStation Gadgets
Adam Rosenberg is a Senior Games Reporter for Mashable, where he plays all the games. Every single one. From AAA blockbusters to indie darlings to mobile favorites and browser-based oddities, he consumes as much as he can, whenever he can.Adam brings more than a decade of experience working in the space to the Mashable Games team. He previously headed up all games coverage at Digital Trends, and prior to that was a long-time, full-time freelancer, writing for a diverse lineup of outlets that includes Rolling Stone, MTV, G4, Joystiq, IGN, Official Xbox Magazine, EGM, 1UP, UGO and others.Born and raised in the beautiful suburbs of New York, Adam has spent his life in and around the city. He's a New York University graduate with a double major in Journalism and Cinema Studios. He's also a certified audio engineer. Currently, Adam resides in Crown Heights with his dog and his partner's two cats. He's a lover of fine food, adorable animals, video games, all things geeky and shiny gadgets.
