The new PS3 firmware doesn't bring many new features for the console

Sep 20, 2011 10:31 GMT  ·  By

Sony, in its already traditional manner, has confirmed that a new firmware update for its PlayStation 3 home console has been released, taking it to version 3.72, and improving a few special features of the device.

Sony's PlayStation 3 has been seeing massive sales in the last few months, as a price cut, taking it the base 160GB model to just $250 (237 Euros), allowed quite a few late adopters the chance to purchase the console.

Now, in order to improve certain features, Sony has decided to release a new firmware update, version 3.72, for the device.

According to Eric Lempel, the vice president of Sony Network Entertainment, "A new PS3 system software update, v3.72, will be released soon. With this minor update, system stability during use of PS3 format software and network services has been improved."

The new firmware follows a pretty major update, the recent 3.70, which appeared at the beginning of August and introduced quite a lot of new features.

These included new automatic update functions available for PlayStation Plus subscribers, like the ability to instantly sync trophy information while in games.

PlayStation Store users were also allowed, with the new software, to recommend items from the online marketplace to their friends, by sending private messages with links.

Movie lovers were able to enjoy a brand new group within the XMB, called TV/Video services, which included applications for Netflix, Hulu Plus or Vudu. The 3.70 firmware brought new 3D features designed to ease the viewing of 3D Blu-ray movies and photos on the home console, provided owners also have a compatible 3DTV.

After such a hefty update, firmware 3.72 looks downright insignificant but, as always, if PS3 users want to access the PlayStation Store, they need to download and install the software.

This automatically happens for PlayStation Plus subscribers who have the Automatic Update feature enabled.