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The latest PlayStation 4 update will let you stream games to any Android phone (SNE)

Sony

  • Sony's latest firmware update for the PlayStation 4 will let you stream games to your Android phone, so long as you're running Android 5.0 or later.
  • The Remote Play feature sends a streaming video feed from your PlayStation 4 directly to your smartphone or PC, so you can play from anywhere. 
  • Remote Play has been available on iPhone and iPad since March, and it's been available on Mac and Windows since back in 2016.
  • Sony has also improved the PlayStation 4's party chat functions, expanding the maximum number of party participants to 16 and adding text-to-voice functionality for written messages.
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Sony has taken another big step to improve its streaming video game services by making the PlayStation 4's Remote Play feature available across all Android devices. Remote Play allows gamers to send a streaming video feed from their PlayStation 4 at home to a PC or mobile device, so they can play anywhere.

The feature will expand to include Android devices with PlayStation 4 firmware update 7.00, which is due out later this week. The firmware update also includes significant improvements to the PlayStation 4's party chat feature.

You'll still need your own PlayStation 4 console and games to make use of Remote Play, but it's useful for playing on the go or when your TV at home is occupied. The Remote Play app will be available to smartphones and tablets running Android 5.0 or later; the app also requires Sony's DualShock 4 controller, which can be connected to Android phones via Bluetooth.

Read more: Sony just added 'Grand Theft Auto V' and 'God of War' to its all-you-can-play streaming service, and cut the price in half to $10 a month

PlayStation 4 Remote Play has been available with Sony's Xperia smartphones and tablets since 2014, but Sony has gradually expanded the service to other devices. PS4 firmware update 3.50 added Remote Play to Windows PCs and Mac computers in 2016, and Remote Play arrived on iPhone and iPad in March 2019 with PS4 firmware update 6.50.

Sony has shown a long-term commitment to video game streaming technology — the company also operates a Netflix-style subscription service called PlayStation Now that streams video games to PlayStation 4 consoles and Windows PCs. Last week, Sony announced that it was slashing the price of PlayStation Now in half, giving subscribers access to more than 800 games for $10 per month.

PlayStation 4 firmware 7.00 will arrive later this week. In addition to expanding Remote Play support for Android devices, it will increase the maximum number of users in a party chat from eight to 16, and allows text messages entered into party chats to be automatically read aloud to other party members.

Meanwhile, Sony's archrivals at Microsoft are gearing up to bring Xbox game streaming to smartphones, too: It recently announced the imminent beta test of its xCloud service, which will bring games like "Halo 5: Guardians" and "Gears of War 5" to Android devices. 

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SEE ALSO: Sony just added 'Grand Theft Auto V' and 'God of War' to its all-you-can-play streaming service, and cut the price in half to $10 a month

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