Thanks to hackers, the words “portable console” and “removable battery” used to spell “nightmare” for Sony. The battery of the PSP famously offered hackers an easy back door into the console that until then required hard-to-find exploits in games. It’s no wonder the PSP Go was a closed system. So what about its younger brother, the PS Vita?
Apparently much easier to get into, it seems. As seen in 4Gamer‘s literal breakdown of the newest version of the handheld console, it appears that the battery can be easily accessed simply by removing the back cover.
Upon closer examination of the safety manual of the new PS Vita, you can find a generous step by step on how to get the battery out of the machine. It’s literally as easy as unscrewing 7 screws, popping off the back cover, and unhooking the battery. (From the looks of it, there isn’t even a security sticker)
This can be done on the original Vita as well it seems. Note, however, that doing this serves no purpose other than to completely void the Vita’s warranty. Sony actually included this information as part of instructions on disposing of your Vita.
Back before the PSP’s firmware security was cracked wide open, hackers discovered that the removable battery had its own software that could be hacked and enable them to install their own independently made games and software onto the console. That’s a backdoor method that Sony has probably checked during development of the Vita, so it’s highly unlikely it’ll be possible this time around.
At the end of the day, if you really want to get to the Vita’s battery, it’s possible, but really kind of pointless. While it could be useful knowledge for when your Vita’s rechargeable battery dies and you want to replace it, it doesn’t look like Vita batteries are currently on the market, so you’re better off asking Sony to do it for you, rather than give them a reason to say “no” when you want them to repair or replace your Vita if something else goes wrong. The batteries are recyclable, so it’s nice to see Sony being environmentally aware at least.
新型PS Vita 「PCH-2000」分解リポート。コストダウンと薄型軽量化に向けた努力の跡が窺える [4Gamer]
Comments
10 responses to “How To Access Your Vita’s Battery”
Allow people to do what they want with the hardware they purchase and watch sales increase.
and then open it up to piracy?
there is no way in hell any company would do that, and no way in hell any developer would produce anything for a console that officially allows users to pirate.
It’s going to happen any way. There is no such thing as unhackable. The original PSPs were easily dismantled and hacked and had far better sales than the later versions.
I understand that this might morally (*sigh* because that’s how it is now) offend (somehow) a few people because as we all know, if something isn’t allowed then that’s a sure-fire ticket to universal righteousness but seriously; why downvote this guy? I mean it’s a pretty well-known fact or at least very popular theory from very credible people that the PSP saw an extension of its lifespan due to the open nature of the hardware. Why don’t you guys read it instead of just associating it with the negative connotations of the subject?
you are correct, but that only brings forth sales in the console, companies don’t make money off consoles, they make money off of licensing games. have you ever wondered how these companies can sell these high powered machines for much less than what it would cost if you made a home PC with the same parts?
if there console is easy to hack and pirate games on, developers wont want to make games for the system, therefore the company makes no money off of selling licenses, and ends up losing lots of money. just selling more consoles isn’t going to make them money.
there is no way a console that allows itself to be hacked can be successful, therefore, no company would ever have a console that would be open to this.
Back in 2001 I was teaching English to the Mino-Kamo Sony head of sales. Having recently purchased a Playstation2 I innocently asked him if it would be possible to remove the region block on it so I could play PS2 games in English. He turned an interesting shade of berry red and informed me that unfortunately that wouldn’t be possible. Lesson learnt,
did apple allow their iphone to be open for people? nope and they still make sales
its not the hardware its the content of games
It’s not like people don’t have phones to run emulators or “homebrew”(apps) on. Time have changed, gone are the days of the PSP.
Sony make money off the software not so much the hardware and the second you open it up a bit piracy goes through the roof just look at the psp
I’d argue that piracy drives sales personally. I’m one of the biggest pirates I know, I’m also one of the few people that owns 35 PS3 games legitimately. It’s all about pricing and exposure. Without pirating music, I wouldn’t even bother listening to music. I’d waste my time on other ventures. But because I do pirate music I now go out and see many bands regularly that before I wouldn’t even have known existed. Piracy got me to buy a ticket to Iron Maiden, megadeth, dropkick murphys, gwar, nightwish, rammstein. Despite piracy, I kicked $1000 into the Star Citizen kickstarter. Piracy is really just another marketing tool, the trick is to offer something that can’t be pirated, not be lazy and lock a product actually offer tie-ins t-shirts, cloth maps etc.