Sony PlayStation 5 rumors suggest 2019 launch, updated VR, more

The near-future of gaming, maybe

The Sony PlayStation has come a long way since it debuted nearly 25 years ago, and now, rumors are starting to swirl around what might be coming in the next iteration, likely called the PlayStation 5. Brit publication Express says recent filings, leaks and other clues suggest a revamped console is on the way, although it looks like the target date for a possible PS5 is sometime late next year.

But what might the PS5 include? The usual suspects of course, including more and better graphics capabilities, but also, improved VR performance, possibly with a 2.0 version of PlayStation VR. Also in the cards: Continued backward compatibility with older games, and more integration with Sony’s PS Plus subscription gaming service.

So that’s where they all went

They say necessity is the mother of invention, but so is making a buck or two, right? That appears to be the case in China where some innovative smartphone smugglers used a sophisticated rope and pulley system that stretched nearly 700 feet between two high-rises. The system moved Apple iPhones across the border between Hong Kong to Shenzhen. How’d they string the system up? By using drones, of course.

Chinese authorities say the smugglers were able to move up to 15,000 phones per night across the border. Why the need to smuggle iPhones in China, which is where iPhones are assembled? Because despite being put together there, the common $1,000 iPhone can cost a Chinese citizen about $3,000 at retail, so there’s a huge black market for the prized handsets. So how are authorities going to foil the next high-wire smuggle act? They’re going to use drones, of course.

Turn to the right

Speaking of iPhones, and the iPhone X in particular, one standout feature of Apple’s halo handset is the sophisticated Face ID unlocking system, and other phone makers are scrambling to copy, imitate and emulate the next-gen security tech. Samsung is in the fight of course, with a facial identification system of their own called “Intelligent Scan” now featured on the new Galaxy S9. How does it stack up to Face ID?

David Cogen of DT partner TheUnlocker put both systems to the test under identical circumstances and found that, not surprisingly, Apple’s dedicated hardware makes Face ID the winner pretty much every time. But what was surprising was that Samsung’s Intelligent Scan system performed close to it – and without all that fancy dedicated hardware, although they also do use some pretty fancy hardware in the overall scheme of things.

We’ve got more news on our Facebook page and YouTube channel, and be sure to tune in to this week’s DT podcasts: Trends with Benefits (general tech shenanigans) on Thursdays, and Between the Streams (movie and TV topics) every Friday.

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