Fresh leaks suggest PlayStation 5 could get support for 3D holographic screens plus built-in camera for streaming

Sony chose not to attend this year’s E3 expo, and analysts speculated that the company could be planning a separate event later this year. Microsoft already teased us with official info on the upcoming Xbox Project Scarlett console, but Sony is still keeping its lips sealed about the PlayStation 5 console, despite all the rumors and leaks making the rounds. Since Q4 of 2019 is here, the probability of Sony officially announcing the PS5 this year is not looking that great anymore, and the Japanese company might choose to unveil it in early 2020 instead.

Speaking of rumors and leaks, the latest Sony patent discovered by LetsGoDigital in combination with the testimonials of an anonymous game developer reporting for Gizmodo are putting a new spin on the focus of the console.

LetsGoDigital recently uncovered a patent filed by Sony Interactive Entertainment that describes a holographic display, which enables users to view 3D images for games and movies without the necessity for additional glasses. This advanced technology integrates plural pixel elements into a special display matrix, with each pixel element emitting light that can be reflected in any direction with the use of micromirror arrays.

Additionally, the display will also include a mounted eye-tracking sensor which calculates the position of the viewer’s eyes so that each eye perceives different angles. Apparently, the eye tracker will use technology that is already implemented in Sony’s Alpha cameras and there is an option to include facial recognition in order for the display to work for multiple users at the same time. The patent specifies that this technology will work with Microsoft and Nintendo consoles, as well as laptops, VR/AR systems, TVs and smartphone displays, so it may end up as a PS5 exclusive only for a short while.

As for the testimonials coming from the game developer contacted by Gizmodo, it looks like the PS5 is currently codenamed “Prospero” and the dev kits that Sony started distributing earlier this year had built-in cameras for advanced streaming. Moreover, the game developer claims that Xbox Scarlett has this feature, as well, and it integrates a more powerful 4K camera with low latency, unlike the PS5 that still uses a 1080p cam. A focus on streaming is not really that far-fetched with the rise in popularity of platforms like Twitch and Mixer.

There is always the possibility that stuff like this could end up launched as separate services down the road, but there is no way of knowing for sure until we get an official reveal for the PS5.