Always connected to your Playstation
Gaming doesn't have to stop just because you turned off your console. With Sony's PlayStation app you can access and manage your PlayStation account from afar, keeping tabs on your games and friends no matter the distance from your home console. The app is free and lets you customize your profile, bring up your trophies to share, and see who else is online. You can also set the app to ping you with game alerts, notifications, messages, and invitations. You'll be able to schedule game nights more easily, no matter where you are. The PlayStation app also directly connects with the Sony Entertainment Network, which means you use it to purchase movies, games, and TV content. You can then remotely download the content directly to your console.
Access to your content, trophies, and friends anywhere, anytime
The PlayStation app excels at what it does, yet doesn't come with all the features that you might expect.What users might expect to be included in this app is instead divided into four different places: In addition to the PlayStation app itself, there is also the PlayStation Messages app, PlayStation Communities, and the PS4 Second Screen. PlayStation Messages is for keeping up with the latest activities from your friends, and messaging your friends and groups. Communities is like a Reddit board for PlayStation users, letting you join and create forums to discuss topics of common interests. Lastly, PS4 Second Screen allows you to use your mobile device as a second screen companion on certain PS4 titles. It can also turn your phone into an on-screen keyboard for easy typing.
So if all these functions are in separate apps from this PlayStation app, what exactly does this do on its own? Rather than focusing on the social element of PlayStation, this app is for updating your own profile and account settings on the fly. It also lets you make purchases or enter voucher codes to remotely download content. The PlayStation app also supports live streaming. Lastly, the app can be used to manage invites and friend requests, or you can set it to ping you with alerts for new friend requests, content releases, or relevant announcements.
Where can you run this program?
The PlayStation app runs on Android and iOS 11.0 or later. This app can be downloaded for free.
Is there a better alternative?
If you own both a PlayStation and an Xbox, both have similar companion apps. 'My Xbox Live' extends to every aspect of both your Xbox One or your Windows 10 gaming experiences, allowing for users to manage facets of both PC and console from a mobile device. As an added bonus, both My Xbox Live and its predecessor, Xbox Smartglass, have a fun feature where players can record screen captures and game clips to be viewed and shared whenever they wish. The PlayStation app lacks this feature.
Other similar apps are the aforementioned PlayStation Messages, PlayStation Communities, and PS4 Second Screen. While the PlayStation app acts as a free, versatile hub for all your PlayStation needs, these other apps highlight more specific facets of the experience. The Twitch app is also a recommended choice if live steaming is one of your main draws for downloading the PlayStation app.
Our take
While Sony concentrated the expected functions of this software into four separate apps, each one is worth downloading.
The PlayStation app runs smoothly and intuitively, and there's little reason why a PlayStation gamer wouldn't benefit from this free app. No one likes waiting around for content to download. With this app installed, you might be on your lunch break when you receive a notification that DLC for your favorite game has just been released. With the PlayStation app installed, you can grab it immediately. Then you can start syncing the content with your PS4 back home, and it'll be ready to go as soon as you walk in the door.
Should you download it?
Yes. The capability to purchase and download media remotely is reason enough to have this app, especially since it's free. Even if the PlayStation app doesn't offer all the features you're expecting, think of it as a vital piece to a larger set of mobile PlayStation apps - each being a necessary component to completing the whole picture. Use this one to stay in the loop with your online profile, your friends, and your games, then install the other companion apps to build upon the foundation that this app sets.
