When Sony announced that the PS4 is not capable of playing MP3s or CDs, it seemed Microsoft found a big gaping hole and announced the advantage of the Xbox One over the PS4.

Admittedly, it seemed that not only were the fans surprised (and then furious), but Sony and its execs were also not expecting the news. In fact, Engadget reports that even Sony Worldwide Studio boss Shuhei Yoshida was taken aback by the rather violent reactions of fans over the missing features.

Immediately, accusations of milking Music Unlimited subscriptions in the absence of MP3s were brought up, and it seemed like, overnight, Sony has become an easy antagonist to the perfect PS4 experience.

To be fair to Sony, their main focus since Day One was on games, and perhaps MP3 playback abilities were not as important as incorporating all that Sony can in the console that's related to gaming.

This is what Mr Yoshida had told Giant Bomb in an interview, quoted by DualShockers. "Some of the features that we wanted but we couldn't get in on day one...game features... we're very disappointed and worried about not having them on day one, and that's always been of higher priority," he stated.

"So as we speak the teams in Japan and in the US, the system guys, are discussing on how and when we can put these features on PS4," he added.

At least it's good to know that Sony really takes feedback from its customers seriously and is willing to immediately remand its mistakes.

PlayStation App is Now Live

Pre-empting the launch of the PS4 is the release of the PlayStation App on iTunes and the Google Play Store. Remember, this app was created in order to keep gamers connected to their PS4s and keep their games accessible to them.

Gamers can do a number of things on the PlayStation App, including seeing their social activity for trophy comparisons, profile changes and friends' activities. They can also chat with their friends and check out game alerts, invitations and notifications.

Five top gaming companion apps that will complement your PS4 gaming: Read all about the apps for "COD: Ghosts," "Battlefeld 4," "Knack" and more here.

In case a gamer is not home when a new game releases, or when a game catches their fancy as they're browsing on their daily commute, they can now purchase the PS4 game or any add-ons, before pushing them to the PS4 when ther're in front of their console.

There's also a second screen feature in the app, quick access to guides and manuals for the PS4, and the PS Blog.

Watch the PS4 official unboxed so you know what to expect out of the box: Read more here.

There's a Reason Why Paid PS Plus is Justified

A streak of free games have already been announced to come to the PlayStation Plus free, and it's important to note that getting free access to these new games, as well as the other perks that come with the multiplayer, can be enjoyed fully with the amount released by Sony.

There's still a chance for a gamer to get the PS4 ultimate gaming kit: Read more here to take a shot at it.

But this is a necessary means to a better end (or better playing), and Eric Lempel of Sony has confirmed this with VG 24/7, saying that the PS Plus is an investment for the PS4.

"The network's gotten so much better and it's completely redesigned on PS4. And the investment in Plus gives the user a ton of value, so putting multiplayer in there will continue to help us build the network up for our users," said Mr Lempel in an interview quoted by VG 24/7.

With the addition of more social features and the new design fitted for the PS4, it's not a surprise that Sony is finding it harder to keep a lot of the features free. And while there are a number of facets that are still free on the PSN and even more free games for the PS Plus, growth for these structures will need to be supported by its users monetarily.

For now, a number of free games on the PS Plus are going to be offered at launch, so it may be a nice time to make sure that a gamer becomes a PS Plus subscriber.

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