Sony’s been fairly pro-consumer with the PlayStation 4 thus far. Aside from locking online multiplayer behind a paywall, the company’s fought back claims that it will block used games – and forced its closest competitor to overhaul its policies in the process. That doesn’t mean that it’s always got your best interests in mind, though.
We already know that the next generation console will not play audio CDs, but the platform holder confirmed earlier today that it won’t be able to read MP3s either. Why does this matter? Well, because the only way that you will be able to listen to music on your PS4 is via Music Unlimited, the platform holder’s online audio streaming service.
Currently, a subscription to the Spotify-esque platform costs around £9.99/$12.99 per month, but the Japanese giant regularly puts annual subscriptions on sale. Of course, discounted or not, the very fact that you’ll be forced to pay to access music that you may already own is easily the most offensive thing that we’ve learned about the PS4 to date.
The only real positive is that you’ll be able to stream Music Unlimited from wherever you are in the system, including inside games. Still, we remain hopeful that the manufacturer will at least incorporate MP3 support in the future, because this is very much the kind of corporate handcuffing that has irritated Sony customers in the past.
[source blog.eu.playstation.com]
Comments 29
I am very disappointed by this. This is a cheap ploy to force Music Unlimited on us. No Audio CD playback? No MP3 playback? There's no other options. In fact, it's less than on PS3. Now we have to pay extra to enjoy music on our own PS4s. And Music Unlimited often doesn't have most of the music we listen to.
no biggie, I bought my PS4 to GAME ON !
I am disappointed from this. Also there was no word on Video Playback for PS4.
Moreover Music Unlimited is NOT available in my country (this is not strange we don't have the Video Store nor the PS Mobile).
So there is no way to listen to music on my PS4.
It's a bit disappointing that it doesn't have CD, and MP3 support. Hopefully they can add some thing later in an update or some kind of app where it's possible.
But if not, I can live without it. I really don't want to use Music Unlimited.
You shouldn't be worried about this , because I'm 90% sure the backlash will cause Sony to patch this, but why the hell would you cancel a pre order over this?
Don't care and will never care
@Shellybird27 This is the Internet - and people are ridiculous when they freak out. I just wanted to parody that...
@get2sammyb Ah, and there's a little service called YouTube, where you can get your music needs, BUT NO WE MUST FREAK OUT!!
It's not a big deal people! If you have a problem with PS4 go get the Xbox one. Stop whining! Freakin babies
Pre-order cancelled? Pre-order cancelled. Again.
And £9.99 a month?! Kiss my rump Sony. Time to bring a stereo upstairs.
Yeah, yeah, and iPods don't let you transfer songs to computers, and CD-ROMs limit installation to 10 computers, and there's a 3-day waiting period for buying guns and we all have to obey arbitrary rules.
A new message on twitter.............
"Shuhei Yoshida @yosp
Thanks for the feedback to the lack of MP3 and DLNA support at the launch of PS4. I'll share with the PS4 Dev team for future consideration."
...its only a FW update away guys come on.......
@ShogunRok I agree completely with you about the stereo. If you want to listen to music whilst playing games and don't want to pay put the radio on, or buy an mp3 dock. You can utilise voice chat then too. I don't understand why this would make someone cancel their pre-order.
@ScreamAimFire99 you still listen to CD's ?
@ShogunRok what a overreaction. USE YOUTUBE!
Not a chance I'd pay £9.99 a month To listen to music on the PS4....can't imagine who would. It's the 1st cynical asshole move sony has made really with the new system. It's easy enough to just listen to music on another device.....it's just a shock Sony would try something like this. I'd imagine if no one pays for the service there will be some kind of a u-turn.
Luckily all my music is on my phone, so this doesn't bother me in the slightest.
@Munkyknuts I guess they're taking the same leap of faith Microsoft did with paid online. If you don't like it,yyou can always use your phone.
I remember getting a year's worth of Music Unlimited almost a year ago for really cheap from some PS Plus deal (it's probably going to expire in a month or two). I used it for a party once, and mainly used it on my Vita after finding out there was a way to play it in Offline mode. Other than that, I'll probably just listen to music from my computer if worst came to worst, and didn't feel like getting another year of Music Unlimited.
When I first heard the weird news about the lack of CD support on PS4, I had a VERY strong feeling it was to push Music Unlimited in the long run...
Anyways, PRE-ORDER KEPT REGARDLESS!
At the end of the day this is a transparent attempt to try and get people to subscribe to Music Unlimited. It's clever business, but it's ultimately a nasty little move.
We finally get custom soundtracks, but we can't use MP3s or rip CDs? Tut tut.
Just read that you can't put MP3's on your PS4 to?! (so that & CD's now, yep i still love buying CD's, coz i am old-skool) is a bit disappointed News really. You would think 'BASIC' features would be on the PS4. How odd, all this News has been today. Oh well, still a DAY 1 for me because i just by my Games console for mainly gaming anyway.
Video games are only meant to play video games. That's their whole purpose. They aren't meant to play music, watch videos, or update your facebook. If that's the case go buy an ipod, and use a computer. Don't bitch no one wants to hear it
Never have used a console for listening to music, so it doesn't bother me in the slightest.
I would have been a little more concerned about the lack of support for DLNA servers, as I did occasionally watch video files from my PC on my TV via the console... however, my new Bravia W6 supports media servers, so I don't need to use the console for this at all any more.
When it comes down to it, I'm buying the PS4 for games, so... yeah, no worries here.
My only real concern is that I want the height of the HDD bay clarified. Today's official FAQ says that drives can be up to 9.5mm in height, but a recent teardown on a German site said it will take up to 12.5mm:
http://www.computerbild.de/fotos/Zehn-Fragen-Playstation-4-8831729.html
I really want to know for certain so that I can order a drive and have it here before the console, ready to be installed before I do anything else.
@Z9DaftRadio I buy CDs to support the bands I like. I'm not a pirate that downloads everything in site. Musicians can't keep making the stuff they do if everyone steals their music. I usually use the CDs to import the tracks then play them later on the system.
@ScreamAimFire99 I Respect that
Doesnt bother me after all I am buying a game console not a music player. If I want to listen to CDs or MP3s I have my computer and my phone to do that.
How lame Sony. This is on the same level as their proprietary vita ram costing an arm and a leg. Honestly it should play music you own for free. Streaming makes more sense because it's a service, but why not include it with your PS+ sub.
Um what's the big deal?? listen to music on your PS3 cancelling pre-order over this is beyond stupid!! Sony is money grabbing over this for sure but come on.
I have Music Unlimited and I don't use my PS3 for MP3s, but I still plainly see how this is anti-consumer. I think they will update it with a patch but it is frustrating that they intentionally left it out to see if people would be mad about being funneled towards Music Unlimited. The PS4 would be significantly less of an entertainment machine if you can't put your music and video files onto it to enjoy on your TV. Of course Sony wants us to listen to music using only Music Unlimited, and to buy and rent all of our movies from Video Unlimited. But shame on them for trying to pull a fast one on their customers.
If the ps4 has the same headphone setup as ps3 (ie USB at front and 3.5 jack which connects to the av socket) then you can, I use a line out cable on my iPod (FiiO L09) and a headphone splitter plugged into the 3.5 jack connected to the headphones so I can listen to music and the game sound effect or chat simultaneously. Obviously you have to mute the game music. Works with any speaker system set up in the same way too, usually pc speakers .
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