PlayStation Browser

Browser built into PlayStation consoles (PSP, PS3, PS4, PS Vita). On PS5, it survives only as a hidden version with no address bar, reachable through workarounds (links in messages, account linking).

Facts

Developer

Sony

Website

—

Current engines

WebKit

Former engines

NetFront

Derived from

NetFront

Platforms

Consoles

Details

PSP, PS3, PS4, PS Vita; PS5 (hidden, since 2020)

Popularity

70/100

Key versions

1. Aug. 24, 2005
   PSP 2.00NetFrontThe NetFront web browser comes free to the PSP with system software 2.00.[1]
2. Apr. 25, 2006
   PSP 2.70Basic Flash (version 6) support in the PSP browser.[1]
3. Nov. 11, 2006
   PS3 1.10Initial PS3 system software, whose browser is first based on NetFront.[2]
4. Dec. 17, 2011
   PS Vita 1.03The PS Vita launches with a preinstalled Browser app, up to 8 windows.[3]
5. Feb. 8, 2012
   PS3 4.10WebKitThe PS3 browser moves to WebKit, with some HTML5 support and faster rendering.[2]
6. Nov. 15, 2013
   PS4 1.01The PS4 launches with a WebKit browser that scores highly on HTML5 compliance.[4]
7. Nov. 19, 2020
   PS5The PS5 has no browser app; a hidden browser can still be reached via a link in a message.[5]

Version sources: [1] us.playstation.com (archive.org), [2] PlayStation 3 system software (Wikipedia en), [3] PlayStation Vita system software (Wikipedia en), [4] PlayStation 4 system software (Wikipedia en), [5] mp1st.com

Sources

1. https://mp1st.com/news/there-is-a-hidden-ps5-web-browser-and-heres-how-to-access-it
2. https://www.gamepressure.com/newsroom/ps5-has-hidden-web-browser/z12843
3. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PlayStation_Portable_system_software
4. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PlayStation_3_system_software
5. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PlayStation_4_system_software
6. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PlayStation_Vita_system_software
7. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NetFront