The days of paying for a premium app to remote play PlayStation 4 games on iPhones and iPads is over. Today’s 6.50 PS4 firmware update enables game streaming between the console and the newly-released PS4 Remote Play app.
PlayStation 4 owners have been able to remote play their games on iOS devices for a couple of years now via applications like R-Play, a popular third-party solution sold on the iTunes app store for $18. The official PS4 Remote Play app, available now, does the same thing, only for free. Just download the app, pair it with your PS4 over the network, and you’re good to go.
The app uses on-screen controls by default. In landscape mode the controls are laid over the game screen, as seen here in a shot grabbed via my iPad Pro. In portrait mode, games run on the upper portion of the display, with touch controls underneath.
I have a good internet connection, which may be why I encountered very little lag while playing. Still, I wouldn’t recommend playing games that require precision timing. At least, not without a good third-party Bluetooth controller. The app is perfect for role-playing games, visual novels and other less controller intensive fare.
Thanks for keeping us going while Sony got its crap together, pricey third-party remote play apps! They’ve got it from here.
Comments
13 responses to “PlayStation 4 Firmware 6.50 Officially Brings Remote Play To IOS”
I struggled with virtual thumb sticks in landscape mode, although I still got a kick out of seeing Apex Legends ‘running’ on my iPhone.
Any tips on a good VN or RPG (or other) that would really suit this control scheme?
Any RPG with turn-based combat (so you’re not dependent on precise timing) is probably OK. At the moment I’m just finishing up Persona 5 which is fantastic.
Turn-based strategy like XCOM would probably be a good fit, too.
Shouldn’t this just be running over the LAN therefore making the internet connection completely irrelevant? I know remoteplay can be used over WAN too but the use case here seems to be local. I don’t understand why so many reviews of local streaming make reference to internet connections.
I hAvE a GoOd InTeRnEt CoNnEcTiOn
can someone tell me what the benefit is?
Not knocking it, genuinely interested cause I can’t see why it’s better than using the TV screen and controller.
It is handy when the misses wants to watch Married at First Sight on the big TV and you still want to keep playing your game, so you just get it up on the tablet or phone.
I recently tried downloading a game I purchased through the web browser to my PS4 while I was at work so that it would be ready when I got home, but it told me that my system was full. If I had this remote play app, I could have connected to my PS4 remotely and deleted a few old games so that I could download my new game.
I can see the remote management as useful to me. I don’t have a problem with my misses watching godawful tv shows, thankfully.
Yeah… it’s a lifesaver when you have a wife/kids who take up the TV.
It’s useful if you want to play somewhere other than the TV. I used SteamLink for a reverse purpose (playing on TV instead of PC) and for similar on my Note 9 (e.g. play while lying in bed). It’s just another option instead of sitting at the TV for whatever reason.
Not sure it’s particularly pleasant on small screens though.
steamlink is useful to me. This app doesn’t seem to tick any boxes for me though. But I’m glad it exists for those who use it.
And yet the Android version of PS4 Remote Play still refuses to install on non-Sony phones. I wonder if they’re working to fix that?
Had a play around on this last night. Rainbow Six Siege was pretty much unplayable. Trials worked quite well though.
Real shame you can’t use a DS4 to control it.
I have the official clip and everything =\