The PlayStation 3 system software, is the updatable
firmware
In computing, firmware is a specific class of computer software that provides the low-level control for a device's specific hardware. Firmware, such as the BIOS of a personal computer, may contain basic functions of a device, and may provide h ...
and
operating system
An operating system (OS) is system software that manages computer hardware, software resources, and provides common services for computer programs.
Time-sharing operating systems schedule tasks for efficient use of the system and may also in ...
of the
PlayStation 3
The PlayStation 3 (PS3) is a home video game console developed by Sony Interactive Entertainment, Sony Computer Entertainment. The successor to the PlayStation 2, it is part of the PlayStation brand of consoles. It was first released on Novemb ...
. The base operating system used by Sony for the PlayStation 3 is a fork of both
FreeBSD
FreeBSD is a free and open-source Unix-like operating system descended from the Berkeley Software Distribution (BSD), which was based on Research Unix. The first version of FreeBSD was released in 1993. In 2005, FreeBSD was the most popular ...
and
NetBSD
NetBSD is a free and open-source Unix operating system based on the Berkeley Software Distribution (BSD). It was the first open-source BSD descendant officially released after 386BSD was forked. It continues to be actively developed and is a ...
known internally as ''CellOS'' or ''GameOS''.
It uses
XrossMediaBar
The XrossMediaBar (pronounced "cross-media bar" and officially abbreviated as XMB) is a graphical user interface developed by Sony Computer Entertainment. The interface features icons that are spread horizontally across the screen. Navigation mov ...
as its graphical shell.
The process of updating is almost identical to that of the
PlayStation Portable
The PlayStation Portable (PSP) is a handheld game console developed and marketed by Sony Computer Entertainment. It was first released in Japan on December 12, 2004, in North America on March 24, 2005, and in PAL regions on September 1, 2005, ...
,
PlayStation Vita
The PlayStation Vita (PS Vita, or Vita) is a handheld video game console developed and marketed by Sony Interactive Entertainment. It was first released in Japan on December 17, 2011, and in North America, Europe, and other international territo ...
, and
PlayStation 4
The PlayStation 4 (PS4) is a home video game console developed by Sony Interactive Entertainment. Announced as the successor to the PlayStation 3 in February 2013, it was launched on November 15, 2013, in North America, November 29, 2013 in ...
. The software may be updated by downloading the update directly on the PlayStation 3, downloading it from the user's local Official PlayStation website to a PC and using a USB storage device to transfer it to the PlayStation 3, or installing the update from game discs containing update data.
The initial slim PS3s
SKU
In inventory management, a stock keeping unit (abbreviated as SKU and pronounced or ) is the unit of measure in which the stocks of a material are managed. Or to put it another way; is a distinct type of item for sale, purchased, or tracked in ...
shipped with a unique firmware with new features, also seen in software 3.00.
Technology
System
The native
operating system
An operating system (OS) is system software that manages computer hardware, software resources, and provides common services for computer programs.
Time-sharing operating systems schedule tasks for efficient use of the system and may also in ...
of the PlayStation 3 is ''CellOS'', which is believed to be a
fork
In cutlery or kitchenware, a fork (from la, furca 'pitchfork') is a utensil, now usually made of metal, whose long handle terminates in a head that branches into several narrow and often slightly curved tines with which one can spear foods ei ...
of
FreeBSD
FreeBSD is a free and open-source Unix-like operating system descended from the Berkeley Software Distribution (BSD), which was based on Research Unix. The first version of FreeBSD was released in 1993. In 2005, FreeBSD was the most popular ...
;
TCP/IP stack fingerprinting
TCP/IP stack fingerprinting is the remote detection of the characteristics of a TCP/IP stack implementation. The combination of parameters may then be used to infer the remote machine's operating system (aka, OS fingerprinting), or incorporated ...
identifies a PlayStation 3 as running FreeBSD, and the PlayStation 3 is known to contain code from FreeBSD and
NetBSD
NetBSD is a free and open-source Unix operating system based on the Berkeley Software Distribution (BSD). It was the first open-source BSD descendant officially released after 386BSD was forked. It continues to be actively developed and is a ...
.
The
3D computer graphics API software used in the PlayStation 3 is ''LibGCM'' and
PSGL, based on
OpenGL ES
OpenGL for Embedded Systems (OpenGL ES or GLES) is a subset of the OpenGL computer graphics rendering application programming interface (API) for rendering 2D and 3D computer graphics such as those used by video games, typically hardware-accel ...
and
Nvidia's Cg. LibGCM is a low level API, and PSGL is a higher level API, but most developers preferred to use libGCM due to higher levels of performance. This is similar to the later PlayStation 4 console which also has two APIs, the low level
GNM and the higher level GNMX.
Unlike the
Software Development Kit
A software development kit (SDK) is a collection of software development tools in one installable package. They facilitate the creation of applications by having a compiler, debugger and sometimes a software framework. They are normally specific to ...
(SDK) for
mobile app
A mobile application or app is a computer program or software application designed to run on a mobile device such as a phone, tablet, or watch. Mobile applications often stand in contrast to desktop applications which are designed to run on d ...
s, Sony's PlayStation 3 SDK is only available to registered game development companies and contains software tools and an integrated hardware component. Due to the fact that it requires a
licensing
A license (or licence) is an official permission or permit to do, use, or own something (as well as the document of that permission or permit).
A license is granted by a party (licensor) to another party (licensee) as an element of an agreeme ...
agreement with Sony (which is considered expensive), a number of
open source
Open source is source code that is made freely available for possible modification and redistribution. Products include permission to use the source code, design documents, or content of the product. The open-source model is a decentralized sof ...
and
homebrew PS3 SDKs are available in addition to a number of leaked PS3 SDKs.
Graphical shell
The PlayStation 3 uses the
XrossMediaBar
The XrossMediaBar (pronounced "cross-media bar" and officially abbreviated as XMB) is a graphical user interface developed by Sony Computer Entertainment. The interface features icons that are spread horizontally across the screen. Navigation mov ...
(XMB) as its
graphical user interface
The GUI ( "UI" by itself is still usually pronounced . or ), graphical user interface, is a form of user interface that allows users to interact with electronic devices through graphical icons and audio indicator such as primary notation, inste ...
, which is also used in the
PlayStation Portable
The PlayStation Portable (PSP) is a handheld game console developed and marketed by Sony Computer Entertainment. It was first released in Japan on December 12, 2004, in North America on March 24, 2005, and in PAL regions on September 1, 2005, ...
(PSP) handheld console, a variety of Sony
BRAVIA
Bravia (stylized as BRAVIA) is a brand of Sony Visual Products Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Sony Corporation, and used for its television products. Its backronym is "Best Resolution Audio Visual Integrated Architecture". All Sony high-defi ...
HDTV
High-definition television (HD or HDTV) describes a television system which provides a substantially higher image resolution than the previous generation of technologies. The term has been used since 1936; in more recent times, it refers to the g ...
s,
Blu-ray
The Blu-ray Disc (BD), often known simply as Blu-ray, is a digital optical disc data storage format. It was invented and developed in 2005 and released on June 20, 2006 worldwide. It is designed to supersede the DVD format, and capable of sto ...
disc players and many more
Sony
, commonly stylized as SONY, is a Japanese multinational conglomerate corporation headquartered in Minato, Tokyo, Japan. As a major technology company, it operates as one of the world's largest manufacturers of consumer and professional ...
products. XMB displays icons horizontally across the screen that be seen as categories. Users can navigate through them using the left and right buttons of the
D-pad
A D-pad (short for directional pad or digital pad; officially referred to by Nintendo as a +Control Pad) is a flat, usually thumb-operated, often digital, four-way directional control with one button on each point, found on nearly all modern vid ...
, which move the icons forward or back across the screen, highlighting just one at a time, as opposed to using any kind of pointer to select an option. When one category is selected, there are usually more specific options then available to select that are spread vertically above and below the selected icon. Users may navigate among these options by using the up and down buttons of the D-pad.
The basic features offered by XMB implementations varies based on device and software version. Apart from those appearing in the PSP console such as category icons for Photos, Music and Games, the PS3 added Users, TV and Friends to the XMB. Also, XMB offers a degree of
multitasking. In-game XMB features were added to the PS3 properly with firmware version 2.41 after causing early implementation problems. While XMB proved to be a successful user interface for Sony products such as PSP and PS3, the next generation Sony
video game console
A video game console is an electronic device that Input/output, outputs a video signal or image to display a video game that can be played with a game controller. These may be home video game console, home consoles, which are generally placed i ...
s such as the
PlayStation 4
The PlayStation 4 (PS4) is a home video game console developed by Sony Interactive Entertainment. Announced as the successor to the PlayStation 3 in February 2013, it was launched on November 15, 2013, in North America, November 29, 2013 in ...
and the
PlayStation Vita
The PlayStation Vita (PS Vita, or Vita) is a handheld video game console developed and marketed by Sony Interactive Entertainment. It was first released in Japan on December 17, 2011, and in North America, Europe, and other international territo ...
no longer use this user interface.
Cooperation with handheld consoles
The PlayStation 3 supports
Remote Play with Sony's
handheld game console
A handheld game console, or simply handheld console, is a small, portable self-contained video game console with a built-in screen, game controls and speakers. Handheld game consoles are smaller than home video game consoles and contain the cons ...
s, the
PlayStation Portable
The PlayStation Portable (PSP) is a handheld game console developed and marketed by Sony Computer Entertainment. It was first released in Japan on December 12, 2004, in North America on March 24, 2005, and in PAL regions on September 1, 2005, ...
and the
PlayStation Vita
The PlayStation Vita (PS Vita, or Vita) is a handheld video game console developed and marketed by Sony Interactive Entertainment. It was first released in Japan on December 17, 2011, and in North America, Europe, and other international territo ...
. However, unlike Remote Play between the PlayStation 4 and the PlayStation Vita, the problem with PS3 was that it only supported a "select" few titles and results were often laggy. However, it is clear that Remote Play with the PS3 was the testing bed for its much better integration with the PS4.
Also, for users having both the PlayStation 3 and the PlayStation Vita, it is possible to share media files videos, music and images between them by transferring multimedia files directly from the PlayStation 3 to the PlayStation Vita, or vice versa. Furthermore, they can use a service called
cross-buy
Cross-buy is a feature of some digital distribution systems available across multiple device platforms, where users who purchase a license to a specific piece of software are able to use the versions of the software for different device classes at ...
which allows them to buy certain games that support this feature one time, and play them in both Sony platforms. Not only that, but in the case of most such games, their saved games actually transfer back and forth between devices, allowing players to pick up from the moment they left off.
There is also a feature called
cross-play (or cross-platform play) covering any PlayStation Vita software title that can interact with a PlayStation 3 software title. Different software titles use Cross-Play in different ways. For example,
Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3
is a crossover fighting game developed by Capcom in collaboration with Eighting. It is an updated version of '' Marvel vs. Capcom 3: Fate of Two Worlds''. The game features characters from both Capcom's video game franchises and comic book se ...
is a title supporting the Cross-Play feature, and the PS3 version of the game can be controlled using the PS Vita system. In addition, some PS3 games can be played on the PS Vita using the
PlayStation Now
PlayStation Now (PS Now) was a standalone video game subscription service the first on consoles developed by Sony Interactive Entertainment. The service offered cloud gaming for PlayStation, PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3, PlayStation Portable a ...
streaming service.
Non-game features
Similar to many other consoles, the PlayStation 3 is capable of photo, audio, and video playback in a variety of formats. It also includes various photo slideshow options and several music visualizations. Furthermore, the PlayStation 3 is able to play
Blu-ray Disc
The Blu-ray Disc (BD), often known simply as Blu-ray, is a Digital media, digital optical disc data storage format. It was invented and developed in 2005 and released on June 20, 2006 worldwide. It is designed to supersede the DVD format, and c ...
and
DVD
The DVD (common abbreviation for Digital Video Disc or Digital Versatile Disc) is a digital optical disc data storage format. It was invented and developed in 1995 and first released on November 1, 1996, in Japan. The medium can store any kin ...
movies as well as audio
CDs out of the box, and also capable of adopting streaming media services such as
Netflix
Netflix, Inc. is an American subscription video on-demand over-the-top streaming service and production company based in Los Gatos, California. Founded in 1997 by Reed Hastings and Marc Randolph in Scotts Valley, California, it offers a fil ...
.
For a
web browser
A web browser is application software for accessing websites. When a user requests a web page from a particular website, the browser retrieves its files from a web server and then displays the page on the user's screen. Browsers are used on ...
, the PS3 uses the
NetFront browser, although unlike its successor PS4 which uses the same modern
Webkit
WebKit is a browser engine developed by Apple and primarily used in its Safari web browser, as well as on the iOS and iPadOS version of any web browser. WebKit is also used by the BlackBerry Browser, PlayStation consoles beginning from the PS ...
core as
Safari
A safari (; ) is an overland journey to observe wild animals, especially in eastern or southern Africa. The so-called "Big Five" game animals of Africa – lion, leopard, rhinoceros, elephant, and Cape buffalo – particularly form an importa ...
from
Apple
An apple is an edible fruit produced by an apple tree (''Malus domestica''). Apple fruit tree, trees are agriculture, cultivated worldwide and are the most widely grown species in the genus ''Malus''. The tree originated in Central Asia, wh ...
, the PS3 web browser receives a low score in
HTML5
HTML5 is a markup language used for structuring and presenting content on the World Wide Web. It is the fifth and final major HTML version that is a World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) recommendation. The current specification is known as the HTML ...
compliance testing. However, unlike the PS4, the PS3 is able to play
Adobe Flash
Adobe Flash (formerly Macromedia Flash and FutureSplash) is a multimedia Computing platform, software platform used for production of Flash animation, animations, rich web applications, application software, desktop applications, mobile apps, mo ...
, including full-screen flash.
Early versions of the PlayStation 3 system software also provided a feature called
OtherOS
OtherOS is a feature of early versions of the PlayStation 3 video game console, allowing user installed software, such as Linux or FreeBSD. The feature was removed since system firmware update 3.21, released on April 1, 2010.
Software running in ...
that was available on the PS3 systems prior to the slimmer models launched in September 2009. This feature enabled users to install an operating system such as
Linux
Linux ( or ) is a family of open-source Unix-like operating systems based on the Linux kernel, an operating system kernel first released on September 17, 1991, by Linus Torvalds. Linux is typically packaged as a Linux distribution, which ...
, but due to security concerns, Sony later removed this functionality through the 3.21 system software update. According to
Sony Computer Entertainment
Sony Interactive Entertainment (SIE), formerly known as Sony Computer Entertainment (SCE), is a multinational video game and digital entertainment company wholly owned by multinational conglomerate Sony. The SIE Group is made up of two legal co ...
(SCE), disabling this feature will help ensure that PS3 owners will continue to have access to the broad range of gaming and entertainment content from SCE and its content partners on a more secure system. Sony was successfully sued in a class action over the removal of this feature. The settlement was approved in September 2016. Sony agreed to pay up to $55 to as many as 10 million PS3 owners but denied wrongdoing.
Furthermore, the PlayStation 3 provides
printing
Printing is a process for mass reproducing text and images using a master form or template. The earliest non-paper products involving printing include cylinder seals and objects such as the Cyrus Cylinder and the Cylinders of Nabonidus. The ea ...
support. It can for example print images and web pages when a supported
printer
Printer may refer to:
Technology
* Printer (publishing), a person or a company
* Printer (computing), a hardware device
* Optical printer for motion picture films
People
* Nariman Printer ( fl. c. 1940), Indian journalist and activist
* Jame ...
is connected via a USB cable or a local network. However, only a selection of printers from
Canon
Canon or Canons may refer to:
Arts and entertainment
* Canon (fiction), the conceptual material accepted as official in a fictional universe by its fan base
* Literary canon, an accepted body of works considered as high culture
** Western can ...
,
Epson
Seiko Epson Corporation, or simply known as Epson, is a Japanese multinational electronics company and one of the world's largest manufacturers of computer printers and information- and imaging-related equipment. Headquartered in Suwa, Nagano, ...
, and
Hewlett-Packard
The Hewlett-Packard Company, commonly shortened to Hewlett-Packard ( ) or HP, was an American multinational information technology company headquartered in Palo Alto, California. HP developed and provided a wide variety of hardware components ...
are compatible with the PS3.
Backwards compatibility
All PlayStation 3 consoles are able to play original
PlayStation
is a video gaming brand that consists of five home video game consoles, two handhelds, a media center, and a smartphone, as well as an online service and multiple magazines. The brand is produced by Sony Interactive Entertainment, a divisi ...
games (
PS One
A number of models of Sony's PlayStation (PS) video game console were produced.
Revisions of standard PlayStation hardware
The PlayStation went through a number of variants during its production run, each accompanied by a change in the part ...
discs and downloadable classics). However, not all PlayStation 3 models are backwards compatible with
PlayStation 2
The PlayStation 2 (PS2) is a home video game console developed and marketed by Sony Computer Entertainment. It was first released in Japan on 4 March 2000, in North America on 26 October 2000, in Europe on 24 November 2000, and in Australia on 3 ...
games. In summary, early PS3 consoles such as the 20GB and 60GB launch PS3 consoles were backwards compatible with PS2 games because they had PS2 chips in them. Some later models, most notably the 80GB
Metal Gear Solid
is a series of techno-thriller stealth games created by Hideo Kojima. Developed and published by Konami, the first game, ''Metal Gear'', was released in 1987 for MSX home computers. The player often takes control of a special forces operat ...
PS3 consoles are also backwards compatible, through partial software emulation in this case since they no longer had the PS2
CPU in them, although they do have the PS2
GPU
A graphics processing unit (GPU) is a specialized electronic circuit designed to manipulate and alter memory to accelerate the creation of images in a frame buffer intended for output to a display device. GPUs are used in embedded systems, mobil ...
in them, allowing for reduced backward compatibility through hardware-assisted software emulation. All other later models, such as the 40GB, 140GB,
PS3 Slim, and
PS3 Super Slim are not backwards compatible with PS2 games, though users can still enjoy PS One and PS3 games on them. According to Sony, when they removed backwards compatibility from the PS3, they had already been at a point where they were three years into its lifecycle; by that time the vast majority of consumers that were purchasing the PS3 cite PS3 games as a primary reason, meaning that the PS2 compatibility was no longer necessary. Nevertheless, PS2 Classics which are playable on the PS3 have officially been introduced to the
PlayStation Network
PlayStation Network (PSN) is a digital media entertainment service provided by Sony Interactive Entertainment. Launched in November 2006, PSN was originally conceived for the PlayStation video game consoles, but soon extended to encompass smartp ...
for purchase afterwards, although they are only a selection of PS2 games republished in digital format, and unlike PS3 games, they lack Trophy support. Later when the PlayStation 4 console was released, it was not backward compatible with either PlayStation 3, PlayStation 2, or PlayStation 1 games, although limited PS2 backward compatibility was later introduced, and PS4 owners might play a selected group of PS3 games by streaming them over the
Internet
The Internet (or internet) is the global system of interconnected computer networks that uses the Internet protocol suite (TCP/IP) to communicate between networks and devices. It is a '' network of networks'' that consists of private, pub ...
using the
PlayStation Now
PlayStation Now (PS Now) was a standalone video game subscription service the first on consoles developed by Sony Interactive Entertainment. The service offered cloud gaming for PlayStation, PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3, PlayStation Portable a ...
cloud-based gaming service.
LV0 keys
The PlayStation 3 LV0 keys are a set of
cryptographic keys
A key in cryptography is a piece of information, usually a string of numbers or letters that are stored in a file, which, when processed through a cryptographic algorithm, can encode or decode cryptographic data. Based on the used method, the key c ...
which form the core of the PlayStation 3's security system. According to a news story on ''Polygon'':
With the LV0 keys users are able to circumvent restrictions placed by Sony, more commonly known as
jailbreaking. The LV0 keys were released online by a group calling themselves "The Three Musketeers", granting users access to some of the most sensitive parts of the PlayStation 3. With access to these areas, users can decrypt security updates and work around the authorized PlayStation firmware. This allows PlayStation 3
firmware updates to be modified on a computer so that they can be run on a modified console. The Three Musketeers decided to release the code after a group of rival hackers obtained the code and planned to sell it. While this is not the first time the PlayStation 3 has been hacked, according to ''
Eurogamer
''Eurogamer'' is a British video game journalism website launched in 1999 and owned by alongside formed company Gamer Network. Its editor-in-chief is Martin Robinson.
Since 2008, it is known for the formerly eponymous games trade fair EGX ...
'', "The release of the new
custom firmware Custom firmware, also known as aftermarket firmware, is an unofficial new or modified version of firmware created by third parties on devices such as video game consoles and various embedded device types to provide new features or to unlock hidden f ...
—and the LV0 decryption keys in particular—poses serious issues." It also says that "options Sony has in battling this leak are limited" since "the reveal of the LV0 key basically means that any system update released by Sony going forward can be decrypted with little or no effort whatsoever".
History of updates
The "initial" release for the PlayStation 3 system software was version 1.10 as appeared on 11 November 2006 in Japan and 17 November 2006 in North America that provided the
PlayStation Network
PlayStation Network (PSN) is a digital media entertainment service provided by Sony Interactive Entertainment. Launched in November 2006, PSN was originally conceived for the PlayStation video game consoles, but soon extended to encompass smartp ...
services and the
Remote Play for the 60 GB model. However, version 1.02 was included with some games. There were a number of updates in the 1.xx versions, which provided new features such as the Account Management, compatibility of
USB
Universal Serial Bus (USB) is an industry standard that establishes specifications for cables, connectors and protocols for connection, communication and power supply (interfacing) between computers, peripherals and other computers. A broad v ...
devices for
PlayStation 2
The PlayStation 2 (PS2) is a home video game console developed and marketed by Sony Computer Entertainment. It was first released in Japan on 4 March 2000, in North America on 26 October 2000, in Europe on 24 November 2000, and in Australia on 3 ...
format games, and supports for USB webcams and
Bluetooth
Bluetooth is a short-range wireless technology standard that is used for exchanging data between fixed and mobile devices over short distances and building personal area networks (PANs). In the most widely used mode, transmission power is limi ...
keyboards and mice. Version 1.80 released on 24 May 2007 added a number of relatively small new features, mostly related to media and videos, such as the ability to upscale standard DVD-Videos to
1080p
1080p (1920×1080 progressively displayed pixels; also known as Full HD or FHD, and BT.709) is a set of HDTV high-definition video modes characterized by 1,920 pixels displayed across the screen horizontally and 1,080 pixels down the screen vert ...
and to downscale Blu-ray video to 720p. Version 1.90 released on 24 May 2007 further added the Wallpaper feature for the background of XMB and the ability to eject a game disc using the controller, to re-order game icons by format and creation date. This update also forced 24 Hz output for Blu-ray over
HDMI
High-Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI) is a proprietary audio/video interface for transmitting uncompressed video data and compressed or uncompressed digital audio data from an HDMI-compliant source device, such as a display controller, ...
, and introduced bookmarks and a security function to the
web browser
A web browser is application software for accessing websites. When a user requests a web page from a particular website, the browser retrieves its files from a web server and then displays the page on the user's screen. Browsers are used on ...
. The last version in the 1.xx series was 1.94 released on 23 October 2007 that added support for
DualShock 3
The DualShock (originally Dual Shock; trademarked as DUALSHOCK or DUAL SHOCK; with the PlayStation 5 version named DualSense) is a line of gamepads with vibration-feedback and analog controls developed by Sony Interactive Entertainment for the Pla ...
controllers.
As with the version 1.xx series, there were a number of versions in the 2.xx and 3.xx series, released between 8 November 2007 and 20 September 2011. There were quite a few noticeable changes, and in version 2.10 alone there were new features such as the additions of the Voice Changer feature with the power to make users sound like a person using a voice changer with five presets over hi and low tones, a new music bitmapping process specifically designed for the PS3 to provide enhanced audio playback, as well as supports for
DivX and
WMV
Windows Media Video (WMV) is a series of video codecs and their corresponding video coding formats developed by Microsoft. It is part of the Windows Media framework. WMV consists of three distinct codecs: The original video compression technology ...
playback and
Blu-ray
The Blu-ray Disc (BD), often known simply as Blu-ray, is a digital optical disc data storage format. It was invented and developed in 2005 and released on June 20, 2006 worldwide. It is designed to supersede the DVD format, and capable of sto ...
disc profile 1.1 for picture-in-picture. Version 2.50 released on 15 October 2008 was the update in the 2.xx series that contained the largest number of new features or changes, among them were the support for official PS3 Bluetooth headset, in-game
screenshot
screenshot (also known as screen capture or screen grab) is a digital image that shows the contents of a computer display. A screenshot is created by the operating system or software running on the device powering the display.
Additionally, s ...
s and
Adobe Flash
Adobe Flash (formerly Macromedia Flash and FutureSplash) is a multimedia Computing platform, software platform used for production of Flash animation, animations, rich web applications, application software, desktop applications, mobile apps, mo ...
9. A recovery menu (or
safe mode) was also introduced in this version. Later versions in the 2.xx series such as the 2.7x, 2.85 or 2.90 were distributed with the PS3 "slim". Similar to versions such as 2.00, versions such as 3.00, 3.10, 3.30, 3.40, and 3.70 all introduced relatively large number of new features or changes, such as supports for new Dynamic Custom Themes, improvements in the Internet Browser, Trophy enhancements, and a new
ideo Editor & Uploaderapplication.
The most noticeable change in the version 4.00 released on 30 November 2011 was the added support for the
PlayStation Vita
The PlayStation Vita (PS Vita, or Vita) is a handheld video game console developed and marketed by Sony Interactive Entertainment. It was first released in Japan on December 17, 2011, and in North America, Europe, and other international territo ...
handheld game consoles. For example,
S Vita Systemwas added as an option and
S Vita System Application Utility
S, or s, is the nineteenth letter in the Latin alphabet, used in the modern English alphabet, the alphabets of other western European languages and others worldwide. Its name in English is ''ess'' (pronounced ), plural ''esses''.
Histor ...
has been added as a feature under
ame #REDIRECT AME #REDIRECT AME
{{redirect category shell, {{R from other capitalisation{{R from ambiguous page ...
{{redirect category shell, {{R from other capitalisation{{R from ambiguous page ...
s, and game data to and from the PlayStation Vita. Version 4.10 released on 8 February 2012 also added improvements to the Internet Browser including some support for
and its display speed and web page layout accuracy. Later versions in the 4.xx series all made a few changes to the system, mostly to improve the stability and operation quality during the uses of some applications, in addition to adding new features such as displaying
s when playing BDs and DVDs and "Check for Update" to the options menu for a game. The PlayStation 3 system software is currently still being updated by Sony.
, was released on 2 July 2008; however, it was withdrawn later the same day because a small number of users were unable to restart their consoles after performing the update. The fault was explained to have been because of certain system administrative data being contained in the
. The issue was addressed in version 2.41 of the system software released on 8 July 2008.
System software version 3.0 was released on 1 September 2009. Shortly after its release, a number of users complained that the system update caused their system's Blu-ray drive to malfunction. In addition, John Kennedy of Florida filed a class action suit against Sony Computer Entertainment America(SCEA). John Kennedy had purchased a PlayStation 3 in January 2009, claiming it worked perfectly until he installed the required firmware update 3.0, at which point the Blu-ray drive in his system ceased functioning properly.
Sony later released a statement, "SCEA is aware of reports that PS3 owners are experiencing isolated issues with their PS3 system since installing the most recent system software update (v3.00),"
and released software update 3.01 on 15 September 2009. However, after installing 3.01, the plaintiff alleged the problems were not only not solved, but the new update created new issues as well.
" feature from older models of the PS3 due to security issues (possibly related to the exploit released by
) which caused an uproar in the PlayStation community, several lawsuits have been filed. The first one was filed on behalf of PS3 owners by Anthony Ventura.
The suit states that removing the feature constitutes breach of contract, false advertising and a handful of other business practices relating to consumer protection laws as the feature was touted by Sony when these systems were new as a way consumers could turn their machines into a basic PC and cites that the feature was "extremely valuable" and one of the main reasons that many people paid more for the PS3 over buying a competing console like a
or an Xbox 360.
It also elaborates that anyone who does not accept the update can no longer play future games or future
movie releases.
Later on, two more suits were also filed by other members of the PlayStation 3 community.
The first of these newer lawsuits was filed by Todd Densmore and Antal Herz which claim Sony has rendered several PlayStation 3 features they paid for "inoperable" as a result of the release of firmware 3.21.
The second filed was by Jason Baker, Sean Bosquett, Paul Graham, and Paul Vannatta, and claims, among other things, that they "lost money by purchasing a PS3 without receiving the benefit of their bargain because the product is not what it was claimed to be - a game console that would provide both the Other OS feature and gaming functions."
A fourth lawsuit was filed by Keith Wright and seeks compensation equal to the cost of the console.
A fifth lawsuit was filed by Jeffrey Harper and Zachary Kummer which calls for a jury trial.
A sixth lawsuit was filed by Johnathon Huber and has quotes from both the EU and US PlayStation blogs.
Sony responded to the lawsuits by requesting a dismissal on the grounds that "no one cared about the feature" and that the filings cite quotes from 3rd party websites, the instruction manual, the PlayStation Web site and claims they are invalid proof and that Sony can disable PSN and the other advertised features (playing games that require newer firmware, etc.) as they wish. The lawyers for the plaintiffs reviewed the request and said that this is fairly common at this stage of the process and that the case would be reviewed before a judge in November 2010.
In February 2011, all claims of false advertising in the case were dismissed, but the plaintiffs were allowed to appeal and amend the case and the other claims that the removal violated the Computer Fraud and Abuse act were allowed to go forward.
In March 2011, the plaintiffs amended their complaint to refute Sony's claims that it was within its rights under the
and warranty to remove the feature adding more details to their claims including breach of warranty, breach of implied warranty, breach of contract, unjust enrichment, and breach of several California unfair business practices laws.
In April 2011, SCEA again asked that the case be dismissed and made claims that the plaintiffs refiled claim was insufficient and that they were hackers and wanted to violate Sony's intellectual property and asked the judge to grant search rights on their PS3 systems. SCEA also made claims that they were not the division solely responsible for the removal and should not be held responsible despite conflicting information to the contrary.
On 18 April 2011, the plaintiffs fired back at Sony's renewed efforts to have the case dismissed by pointing out the fact that Sony had made many of the same claims before and that they had been dismissed by the court and also pointed out several legal precedents under California law that refuted Sony's claims.
In December 2011, the whole case was dismissed under the grounds that the plaintiffs had failed to prove that they could expect the "Other OS" feature beyond the warranty of the machine.
However, this decision was overturned in a 2014 appellate court decision finding that plaintiffs had indeed made clear and sufficiently substantial claims.
Ultimately, in 2016, Sony settled with users who installed Linux or purchased a PlayStation 3 based upon the alternative OS functionality.
System software version 4.45 was released on 18 June 2013; however, it was withdrawn one day later because a small number of users were unable to restart their consoles after performing the update. On 21 June 2013, Morgan Haro, a Community Manager for
, announced that the issue had been identified and a new update was planned to be released to resolve the issue. The system update that addressed this issue, version 4.46, was released on 27 June 2013, and a fix for those affected by system version 4.45 was also provided by Sony.