PlayStation 4 to Get New Parental Controls, Notifications Management Features, and More

Sony is releasing the first beta for the next major PlayStation 4 update: 5.50. The update, codenamed KEIJI, mostly focuses on improved user experience features and a new Play Time Management features.

To provide parents with greater control over their children’s accounts on the PlayStation, Sony is introducing a new feature that lets parents limit the hours their child can play on the PS4. A similar feature is coming to the iPhone that’ll let parents control the use time of certain apps on their children’s iPhones, too. On the PlayStation, users can even choose to automatically log their child out of their PS4 once they exceed the maximum playtime set by their parent.

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Along with the time management feature, Sony is introducing some design improvements for the Library section. There’s now a separate section for games and apps that are installed on your PS4, and content that’s available on your PSN ID but not actually downloaded on your console, making it easier for you to find out what’s exactly what’s available to play on your console right away. The update also includes a new PS Plus tab that includes all the premium content from PS Plus, as well as a new Hide App functionality that lets you hide certain apps and games from the Library.

More importantly, the update is introducing the ability to delete old notifications as well as support for Background Music on PlayStation Now. All in all, it’s a pretty huge update.

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Conversation 10 comments

  • MikeGalos

    06 February, 2018 - 2:56 pm

    <p>It's amazing that it has taken two major competitors over a decade to copy what Microsoft first introduced as <em style="color: rgb(34, 34, 34); background-color: transparent;">Windows Live OneCare Family Safety</em><span style="color: rgb(34, 34, 34); background-color: transparent;"> in 2007 and, yes, that original branding should show you just how long </span><em style="color: rgb(34, 34, 34); background-color: transparent;">Microsoft family features</em><span style="color: rgb(34, 34, 34); background-color: transparent;"> (the current iteration of the system) has been around.</span></p>

    • Waethorn

      06 February, 2018 - 7:01 pm

      <blockquote><a href="#243738"><em>In reply to MikeGalos:</em></a></blockquote><p>Considering that Microsoft killed parental controls more than once, rebranded it, and made systems incompatible with each other several times since then, I don't see how they deserve the merit you afford them.</p>

      • RM

        07 February, 2018 - 9:15 am

        <blockquote><a href="#243799"><em>In reply to Waethorn:</em></a></blockquote><p>They deserve much more than PS4 that is just getting them!</p>

        • Waethorn

          07 February, 2018 - 9:20 am

          <blockquote><a href="#243886"><em>In reply to RM:</em></a></blockquote><p>I bet MS will destroy the existing family controls before the next console release. The difference is that Sony's will work.</p>

          • Skolvikings

            07 February, 2018 - 11:57 am

            <blockquote><a href="#243887"><em>In reply to Waethorn:</em></a></blockquote><p>Microsoft's family controls are a hot mess if you don't own an Xbox. Took me quite a bit of effort to figure out how to properly give my kids an Xbox account and configure their settings so they could play in the Minecraft Realm I subscribed to for them.</p>

  • Stooks

    06 February, 2018 - 3:23 pm

    <p>For the PS4 Pro there is a pretty big graphics update in this update. There is a system option to force Supersampling on the Pro. </p><p><br></p><p>So if you have a Pro on a 1080p monitor/TV the supersampling will render the game at 1440p – 2160p and then display it on the 1080p screen. This will sharpen everything up, get rid of jaggies and just make the picture quality better overall.</p><p><br></p><p>The Xbox One X does this already.</p>

  • Tallin

    06 February, 2018 - 3:26 pm

    <p>Wait, this is actually new? I've been setting limits on Xbox and Windows for years and it comes with a convenient web management interface. I can also approve extra time with the click of a button on another device or directly on the device by authenticating my account.</p>

  • RM

    07 February, 2018 - 9:15 am

    <p>How is it that PS4 has market share over Xbox One when it is just finally getting basic features Xbox has had for years?</p>

    • Skolvikings

      07 February, 2018 - 11:55 am

      <blockquote><a href="#243885"><em>In reply to RM:</em></a></blockquote><p>Yeah because parental time limits is the top factor in deciding which gaming console to purchase.</p>

  • Skolvikings

    07 February, 2018 - 11:52 am

    <p>As a parent, I'm excited about the ability to set time limits on my kids and have it auto-log them off the PS4 once they've reached their daily limit.</p>

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