PS4 Remote Play Arrives For iPhone And iPad: Here’s How You Can Get It

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Sony’s latest PlayStation 4 update adds a feature iOS users have been demanding for years. The new feature is PS4 Remote Play, and it will allow the  console to sync with iOS devices properly.

What you need to know about PS4 Remote Play for iOS devices

Sony’s latest PlayStation 4 Firmware Update, version 6.5, is now available in all regions. The update is about 460 MB in size, and it adds several new features and tweaks, including PS4 Remote Play for iOS devices. To use the feature, users will need to download the PS4 Remote Play app.

“You can now enjoy Remote Play on iOS devices. You can use (PS4 Remote Play) to connect to your PS4 system from devices such as smartphones and tablets. Download (PS4 Remote Play) from the App Store,” the update’s changelog states.

The PS4 Remote Play app connects the console with mobile devices, meaning it will display the console’s screen on the user’s iPhone or iPad. Users can control the game using the on-screen controller on their mobile device and join voice chats using their phone’s microphone. Unfortunately, remote play does not support DualShock 4 controllers, which means you can’t pair these controllers with your iOS device and use them to play games. Thus, you will either have to use the on-screen controller on your iOS device or pair other third-party controllers which are supported. If you insist on using a DualShock 4 controller, you will have to jailbreak your iOS device.

iOS users have been asking for such a feature for quite some time. Sony has finally listened, but not before releasing the same feature on other platforms. Sony originally offered remote play for its Xperia line of handsets in October 2014, although remote play for other platforms, including Windows, macOS and Android, has also been around for years now.

Although several third-party apps do allow you to play your PS4 on your iPhone, those apps are not free. For instance, one such app called R-Play, which has enabled remote play since 2017, costs $12.

Other updates with v6.5

In addition to adding PS4 Remote Play for iOS devices, Firmware Update 6.5 also brings a couple other new features. Users now will have the option to choose 720p when they broadcast via Niconico Live. This feature is available in select countries and regions.

The update also adds the ability to change the button for “Enter” operations. Users can change the “Enter” button assignment from the Circle button to the X button. To do so, go to Settings, and then System, and then select the option “X Button for Enter.” This option is also available in in select countries and regions, Sony said.

No mention of PSN name change

Although adding PS4 Remote Play to iOS is a big addition, one feature PS4 users have been waiting eagerly for is the ability to change their PlayStation Network ID. Sony confirmed in October that PSN name changes will be allowed starting in early 2019, but so far, there has been no such update. Users were pretty optimistic that this latest update would add the option, but to their disappointment, the patch notes mention no such thing.

Sony said in a blog post in October that the feature was in beta. At the time, the Japanese company explained that the first name change will be free, but thereafter, it will cost $9.99. For PlayStation Plus members, PSN name changes after the first one will cost $4.99.

Sony also shared more details on upcoming features then, saying that any changes to the online ID can be made via the Settings menu or the PS4 Profile page. Sony also said players will have the option to display their old name alongside the new one to make it easy for their friends to recognize them. However, the company warned that once a player chooses this option, “you won’t be able to adjust this after completing the online ID change process.”

Another caveat of the feature, according to Sony, is that it might not work with all games. Sony said the PSN name change supports all PS4 games published after April 1, 2018 and most popular games released before that date. However, “not all games and applications for PS4, PS3 and PS Vita systems are guaranteed to support the online ID change, and users may occasionally encounter issues or errors in certain games,” the Japanese company explained.

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