2024-09-04 11:40:38
The connection was possible thanks to the i-mode protocol, a concept similar to the well-known WAP.
While it was possible to navigate, the gaming advantages were very limited.
Sony’s legendary console, however, was not a pioneer in this respect. The PlayStation and PS One also allowed users to “connect to the world”, although this possibility was not available on the day of the consoles’ launch, but rather a little later thanks to an accessory and an agreement with a Japanese mobile telephone operator.
When Japan lived in the future
In January 2000, Sony announced a partnership with NTT DoCoMo, one of Japan’s largest mobile operators, to enable PlayStation users to acceder a i-mode from their consoles. i-mode was a successful mobile Internet service controlled by DoCoMo that closely resembled WAP in concept.
Some compatible phones had a special button called “i-mode” that opened the service’s home menu and provided access to thousands of basic pages designed for mobile devices. Two months after the initial announcement, Sony released a cable to connect these phones to PlayStations, PS Ones, and even PlayStation 2s.
The i-mode service for PlayStation was officially launched in April 2000. From that date, all i-mode users could view the PlayStation icon on the home page of the service. In order to enjoy it from the console, in addition to having the adapter, it was necessary to have one of the eight mobile phones compatible with the protocol.
One end of the cable plugged into an empty controller slot and the other into the mobile phone. This, however, was not enough to access the Internet. The accessory box included a disc that had to be inserted into the console and provided access to the start menu that was usually displayed from phones.
Source: XATAKA