PlayStation Messages & Communities apps on iOS/Android receive minor new features

by Sohrab Osati | Mar 9, 2017 | 0 comments
Sohrab Osati

playstation_messagesPS4 and PS4 Pro weren’t the only things Sony brought big updates to this morning. After PS4 system software update 4.5 went live, the PS Messages and Communities apps on iOS and Android also received an update with some noteworthy tweaks though nothing as big as the PS4 update.

  • When you receive a Party invitation from your friends on PS Messages, now you can respond with a quick reply, “I’ll join later” or “Sorry, I can’t join,” when you want to get back to them ASAP.
  • On the Communities app, you can now easily check the PSN service status under Settings > View Status of PSN Services.
  • Also on the Communities app, iOS users can tell at a glance if there are any new posts in their community by checking the badge app icon (the number in a red circle at the top-right corner of the app’s icon).

Specifically, the update brings the following to each app:

PS Messages – iOS:

  • You can now respond with a quick reply when you receive a party invitation.
  • A mobile icon is now displayed to indicate Friends who use PlayStation App or PlayStation Messages but are not currently online.
  • Cover images are now displayed on player detail screens.
  • You can now rotate the images you attach.
  • You can now check the status of PlayStation Network services by going to [Settings] > [View Status of PSN Services].
  • You can now check whether this app has been updated to the latest version by going to [Settings] > [About PS Messages].
  • Stability during use of some features has been improved.

PS Messages – Android:

  • You can now reply to messages directly from notifications.
  • You can now respond with a quick reply when you receive a party invitation.
  • A mobile icon is now displayed to indicate Friends who use PlayStation App or PlayStation Messages but are not currently online.
  • Cover images are now displayed on player detail screens.
  • You can now rotate the images you attach.
  • You can now check the status of PlayStation Network services by going to [Settings] > [View Status of PSN Services].

PS Messages – iOS/Android

  • The behavior after tapping the back button has been changed.
  • You can now easily access the PS Store page for a Community’s associated game.
  • Some time zones have been added or updated.
  • Stability during use of some features has been improved.

Let me know if you use either of these apps and if so, do you like them? As for me, I find them both helpful though Sony has a long way to go before they truly feel native.