PS4 update 5.50 includes Play Time Management and PS Now background music

Sony has unwrapped the full list of new content coming with PS4 update 5.50, highlights of which include Play Time Management and the ability to play music during PS Now gaming sessions. Those of you who are signed up to the beta can get a taste of this latest system update from today.

First up is Play Time Management, which allows adult family folk to manage playtime for child family members on PSN. It’s a cinch to operate, requiring you to simply head to Settings > Family Management on the PS4, or fire up your PlayStation account on your web browser via a PC or smartphone. From here, you can check and manage your child’s playtime. 

‘Notifications on PS4 will be sent to the child during gameplay so that he or she knows when they should save and quit. The family managers/guardians also have the option to add extra game time via their smartphone or PC,’ said Sony. 

Elsewhere, the Library UI is getting two new tabs, the first of which is This PS4, allowing you to have a gander at all the applications installed on your PS4. There’s also name/avatar tab that showcases all the apps you have purchased with your PSN ID, as well as a PS Plus tab displaying all the free games you have nabbed from the monthly list.

Sony’s also added quick menu enhancements, allowing you to swiftly access specific buddies on your custom list by using the pulldown menu under the Friends tab in Quick Menu. Meanwhile, those of you who regularly game on PS Now can listen to your favourite songs while streaming content, and you can now organise your notifications by deleting unwanted messages.

PS4 owners can also import custom wallpapers from a USB stick to spruce up the home screen, as well as customise the Tournaments team page with your own team logo or background, again via USB stick. 

Finally, PS4 update 5.50 throws in Supersampling, which as previously reported allows users to enjoy select games with improved visuals even when played on a TV packing a resolution of 1080p or below.

‘With supersampling mode, games that render to a higher resolution when connected to a 4K TV will downscale to match the HDTV – allowing PS4 Pro owners to leverage the benefits of an image clarity boost even if they don’t own a 4K TV,’ reads the blog post.

Sony has yet to confirm when PS4 update 5.50 will see a general release.