PlayStation 4 Update 5.55 Now Available

There's a new patch available for PlayStation 4 users and though system updates are nothing new, this one raises a few eyebrows. According to the site's official update, which is available to download simply by turning the platform on, simply states that the 'main features' "improves system performance." That's it.

Piggybacking off of the previous patch a little bit, we think that this is just a "soft patch" since the last update was so huge. With E3 around the corner though, my personal speculation was that this was a tiny improvement slid in to prepare for a much larger content drop. In fact, it could even be a small plug put into place to prevent any leaks if they found any software weak points. It wouldn't be the first time it happened, and the timing is suspicious with E3 so close - including Sony's conference.

The 5.50 patch was pretty major, with some of the highlighted points seen below. The update is available now for both NA and EU players, with a very little download time due to its size. As far as the previous update goes:

• As a family manager, parent, or guardian, you can now monitor your child's time played (the amount of time they've spent logged in to the PS4™ system) and set restrictions accordingly. To manage play time settings for each child, select (Settings) > [Parental Controls/Family Management] > [Family Management].
  • You can view your child's total time played for the day.
  • You can limit how long your child plays per day, and set playable hours to prevent play late at night or other unwanted times. Restrictions can be set for each day of the week.
  • When the set play time ends, a pop-up notification appears repeatedly on the screen to let your child know that they're out of play time. If you choose, the PS4™ system can automatically log your child out when play time ends.
  • You can also extend or shorten your child's play time on the day they play.
  • You can view and manage your child's play time anytime from your PC or smartphone using the (PlayStation®App) or by visiting this website.
    playstation.com/acct/family
• The following features have been added to (Library).
  • [PlayStation Plus] will now appear if you were ever a PlayStation®Plus subscriber. You can keep track of all your free PS Plus games.
  • You can now hide games and applications you no longer need from [Purchased]. Highlight a game or application, press the OPTIONS button, and then select [Do Not Show Content Item in [Purchased]].
• On April 19, 2018, the following feature was enabled on PlayStation™Network servers. (This feature is automatically enabled even if you installed the 5.50 or 5.53 update before April 19.)
  • The song you're listening to or the last song you played in Spotify® now appears on the profile screen under [Music]. You can see the songs your Friends listen to and listen for yourself.
  • Select (Settings) > [Account Management] > [Privacy Settings] > [Gaming | Media] > [Music] to choose who can see the music you listen to.
• On April 26, 2018, the following feature was enabled on PlayStation™Network servers. (This feature is automatically enabled even if you installed the 5.50, 5.53, or 5.53-01 update before April 26.)
  • [Media] has been added to the profile screen. You can view screenshots, video clips, and broadcasts shared by users.

Other new or revised features in version 5.50

• [Supersampling Mode] has been added to (Settings) > [Sound and Screen] > [Video Output Settings]. Enable this mode to improve image quality in some games when your PlayStation®4 Pro console is connected to a TV with 2K resolution or lower. This setting is available only on PlayStation®4 Pro consoles.
• You can now customize logos and backgrounds with your favorite images. On the image selection screen, select image files from a USB storage device. Customize any of the following.
  • Team logo
  • Team cover image
  • Background image for the home screen
  • Image for the message group
• On the quick menu, (Online Friends) has been changed to (Friends). From here, you can view online Friends and custom lists.
• Music playback functions on the quick menu have been improved.
• You can now create events from the team profile screen. On the screen, select [Events] > [Create Event for This Team].
• Easily find games that can be played on PlayStation®VR from the home screen or (Library). (PS VR) appears next to supported games.
• You can now delete notifications. Select (Notifications) to display the notifications list, press the OPTIONS button, and then select [Delete].
• You can now choose who can view the list of players you follow and who can view the list of your followers separately. Select (Settings) > [Account Management] > [Privacy Settings] > [Friends | Connections].

Notices

• Do not download or install the update using data other than the official update file provided online by Sony Interactive Entertainment. Do not download or install updates by methods other than those described in the system documentation or on this website. If you download or install update data from a different source, by a different method, or on a system that has been altered or modified in any way, the system might not operate properly and might not be able to install the official update data. Any of these actions can void the system warranty and affect your ability to obtain warranty services and repair services from Sony Interactive Entertainment.
• Do not install system software soon before or soon after a power outage.
• Do not turn off your system during the installation. Interrupting the installation can cause your system to be damaged.
• You might not be able to use some applications or content without first updating the system software.

(via Sony)