Home PlayStation 5 operating system beta launches with a focus on more immersive audio

PlayStation 5 operating system beta launches with a focus on more immersive audio

tl;dr

  • Sony will launch a PS5 beta program on July 25, introducing personalized 3D audio profiles and selective Remote Play access.
  • Participants will receive an email invitation, but not all beta features may be in the final release.
  • Features include personalized 3D audio, adaptive controller charging, and Remote Play access controls.

Sony will launch a new beta program for the PlayStation 5, introducing more features aimed at improving players’ experience, starting this Thursday (July 25). The update will bring personalized 3D audio profiles for headphones and earbuds, and introduce selective access control for Remote Play.

Selected beta participants will receive an email invitation to download the update. However, Sony cautions that some features tested during the beta phase might not be included in the final release or could undergo significant modifications.

What features are in the new PS5 beta program?

3D audio

A major rollout of this beta is the personalized 3D audio capability for the PS5. “With a set of headphones or earbuds like the Pulse Elite wireless headset or Pulse Explore wireless earbuds, you can run through a set of sound quality tests to analyze a vast number of factors to create an audio profile that best fits your hearing characteristics,” explained Sony in a blog post.

The company hopes that it can enhance gameplay immersion through the use of personalized profiles, by improving how players perceive the position of characters and objects within the game environment.

Users can create their 3D audio profiles by navigating to Settings > Sound > 3D Audio (Headphones) on their PS5 consoles. These profiles are then saved per user on the console for a more customized experience while giving the option to revert to standard 3D audio presets.

Adaptive charging

The menu shows "Features Available in Rest Mode," where users can configure the power supply to USB ports with options like "Off," "Adaptive," and "3 Hours." The screen highlights how each setting affects power consumption, with an option to learn more about Adaptive Charging. This is part of PS5's beta program.
Adaptive charging mode is being tested to save energy. Credit: Sony

The beta also includes a new adaptive charging feature for controllers, exclusive to the latest, slimmer PS5 model. This feature adjusts the power supply to the controllers based on the battery level, conserving energy and extending the life of the device.

To use adaptive charging, go to Settings > System > Power Saving > Features Available in Rest Mode, and then select Supply Power to USB Ports > Adaptive.

Remote play

This menu is titled "Enable Remote Play" and lists user profiles with toggles to enable or disable Remote Play access individually. Profiles shown include names like Zane Richardsons, Danny Lowton-Michaels, Karla Riley, and Elisa Woods.
Remote Play will allow users to access to others’ profiles. Credit: Sony

Remote Play access is another area of focus in this beta. Console owners can now decide if friends or family members can use their console for Remote Play or if they need their own system, a feature likely to appeal to households with multiple gamers.

To adjust these settings, go to Settings > System > Remote Play > Enable Remote Play, and choose which user you want to enable access to your PS5 console through Remote Play.

Participants in the beta include users from the US, UK, Canada, Japan, Germany, and France, with plans to extend the update globally in the coming months.

Featured image: Sony

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Suswati Basu
Tech journalist

Suswati Basu is a multilingual, award-winning editor and the founder of the intersectional literature channel, How To Be Books. She was shortlisted for the Guardian Mary Stott Prize and longlisted for the Guardian International Development Journalism Award. With 18 years of experience in the media industry, Suswati has held significant roles such as head of audience and deputy editor for NationalWorld news, digital editor for Channel 4 News and ITV News. She has also contributed to the Guardian and received training at the BBC As an audience, trends, and SEO specialist, she has participated in panel events alongside Google. Her…

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