Wednesday morning was a fairly busy time for PlayStation updates. Sony started with a performance-boostingfirmware update for the PS5. The company then followed up with a similar update for thePlayStation 4.
ThePlayStation 4’s firmware update 9.03 went live on December 1. The 490MB patch doesn’t do all that much, though it is a mandatory download. The update should install itself automatically as long as one’s PS4 has an internet connection.
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The patch notes are nothing spectacular, simply stating, “This system software update improves system performance.” The PS5 patch was similarly vague, though the new system requires a much heftier 941MB download. Given the lack of specificity, it’s likely that both updates were little more than routine performance improvements rather than fixes for any significant issues with either system. However, it is also possible that Sony was trying to sleekly get out in front of a known bug before too many players heard about it.
It’s not clear how substantial the performance update is,but unlike the PS4’s 9.00 update, there doesn’t appear to be many reported issues with the new patch. Either way, it’s good to see Sony is rolling out regular updates for the older of its two supported consoles. The PS4’s last major firmware update, version 9.00, was released on September 15. That patch brought with it much more noticeable improvements. These include letting users view PS5 trophies on PS4, deleting Messages groups they started, and various modifications to parental controls, among other things. The full patch notes for both the 9.00 and 9.03 updates are available on the PlayStation website.
If nothing else, PlayStation 4 owners are undoubtedly happy to see their device getting attention from Sony. In 2020, the electronics giant stated that it intended to continuesupporting the PS4 for three to four years after the PlayStation 5’s release. This means PS4 players should continue to see both new updates and game releases at least until 2023. That gives the PlayStation 4 a lifespan of around ten or eleven years, depending on when Sony decides to finally pull the plug. This is consistent with the typical lifespan of PlayStation consoles.
Sony and Microsoft have been relatively willing to continue supporting their last-gen consoles. Microsoft’s yet to set a firm end date for the Xbox One, with a substantial number ofupcoming games coming to all three Xbox consoles. COVID-related supply issues may have informed the willingness of both companies to keep the older machines around. Still, it’s good news forPlayStation 4and Xbox One owners that aren’t yet ready for an expensive upgrade.
