Sony has released the details on Software Update 4.5 for the PS4, which is code-named Sasuke. In a post on the PlayStation blog, the Japanese company said it will include external hard drive support, custom wallpapers, and several other features. Although regular PlayStation 4 players won’t see the update yet, those who are signed up to be beta testers should receive an email detailing how to download Update 4.5 very soon.
PS4 to support external hard drives
Perhaps one of the most-anticipated additions is support for an external hard drive. Storage has become a real problem with consoles these days, as digital downloads are becoming more and more popular. While it is possible to upgrade the hard drive that comes with the PS4, some players just want or need more storage than that, so Update 4.5 will add that option.
It’s as simple as plugging in a USB 3.0 hard drive into the console, so anyone can easily add more space to their system without having to do anything complicated. The PS4 will support hard drives that are up to 8 terabytes in size, and the update allows players to download and install apps directly to the extra drive and manage them through the Settings menu. However, user save files are still stored on the console’s internal hard drive.
The apps that are saved on the external drive will also show up on the Home Screen’s Content Launcher.
Custom wallpapers and quick refresh
The software update will also enable custom wallpapers on the PS4 so players can take their favorite screenshot from a game and use it as the background image for their Home Screen on the console. Text and icons will have drop-shadows on them so that they can be seen even on bright wallpapers. Players can also edit the screenshots via Photo Mode in Sharefactory.
Sony has also further enhanced the Quick Menu, building upon the improvements it pushed out with the last update. The Quick Menu is the one that appears after long-pressing the PS button on DualShock 4 controllers. The improvements will make the menu smaller and add Party features through Online Friends.
The PS4 will also have a simplified Notifications list in the new update. Currently, the list has multiple tabs on the left, including Game Alerts, Downloads and others, but Sony has condensed the tabs to create one list so it’s easier to see all the notifications quickly.
PlayStation Network, 3D Blu-rays
The PS4 update also adds the ability to post right into the Activity Feed on PlayStation Network, with access in various areas in the console. One place to access this feature is under What’s New, which will include a new option for posting to the Activity Feed.
Additionally, PS4 owners who also own PlayStation VR will be able to watch 3D movies in stereoscopic 3D on the PS VR headset.
