14 DAY TRIAL // The team at Sony in charge of the PlayStation Vita announces that it will be dropping support for the YouTube app on the handheld in the coming months, with the download option set to be removed from the PlayStation Store on January 28 of this year and no features set to work after April 20.
The official announcement explains that “Users can continue to enjoy YouTube via the ‘Browser’ application, and will be able to access their YouTube data, such as playlists and channels, by signing in to the same Google account via the ‘Browser’ app and on other devices.”
The Maps application is also set to be terminated on the Vita in March of this year.
Sony says that gameplay for titles running on the device will not be affected by the fact that these apps are no longer supported.
No reasons for the move were announced.
There are some rumors that, in the coming years, Sony is planning to significantly ramp down its Vita development program and that the handheld will be a little more than an attachment for the PlayStation 4.
It’s unclear whether the company wants to further invest in the mobile gaming market in the future or if it will focus on the home console, which has managed to post solid sales since November 2013.
Support for YouTube and Maps apps on PS Vita is ending. More info below. Maps: https://t.co/G0Ornijx7y YouTube: https://t.co/rmb2nBm1Un
— PlayStation (@PlayStation) January 28, 2015