The pressure is building on Sony to unveil the PlayStation 5, or at least reveal some new details about the next-gen console, as Microsoft is miles ahead. The company has been slowly drip-feeding information about its upcoming Xbox Series X console to the masses, dropping a blog post detailing some of the system's hardware specs this week and has already revealed the product's design at The Game Awards last year while all we have from Sony is a few details and a logo.
Sony's plans have been disrupted by the coronavirus outbreak that prompted the cancellation of several major tech conferences and events, with the company pulling out of at least three trade shows so far.
While we wait for some official information from Sony about the PlayStation 5, we've got some exciting news for you thanks to a recent patent filing, and if it materialises, it will give Sony a massive advantage over its competition.
PS5's DualShock 5 controller patents
Even though not all of Sony's filed patents will make it to the next-gen console, they do provide plenty of information about the company's vision for the future of gaming. It is due to these patent leaks that we learned about the design of the PS5 dev kit last year.
Several other patent filings have given away interesting potential PS5 features since then, such as voice-based digital assistant, rear-facing buttons, or support for biofeedback that will detect the user's heart rate and perspiration to modify gaming experience on the PS5's DualShock 5 controller, as previously reported.
We also know that the PS5 controller will include haptic feedback that will replace the PS4's rumble technology. The haptic feedback feature will allow the controller to deliver vibrations or movements that replicate a real-life touch experience and therefore provide a more immersive experience.
The PS5 controller will also feature adaptive triggers which Sony says have "been incorporated into the trigger buttons (L2/R2)". These adaptive triggers will allow developers to program the resistance of the triggers to simulate actions more accurately.
Wireless charging support
The latest Sony patent reveals a feature that gamers will love and enjoy: wireless charging support for the DualShock 5 controller. This patent describes a PlayStation controller attachment (could be sold separately as an accessory) which allows for wireless charging.
To put things simply, you clip this device onto your DualShock controller, and when paired with a dedicated charging base, the battery gets charged wirelessly and allows the user to continue playing without any hassle. Of course, as is the case with all patents, there's no guarantee the gadget described in this new patent will ever see the light of day. But it certainly makes sense for Sony to consider wireless charging solutions for DualShock controllers, given that wireless charging tech adoption has been increasing in recent years.
