Support is ending for two apps on the PlayStation Vita and a third will effectively be killed off by a firmware update in April.
Sony already has removed the YouTube app from the Vita’s PlayStation Store. The Vita will no longer support the app beginning April 20, though users who have it on their Vita may continue to use it.
Maps, however, will be stripped out of Vitas with a firmware update in March, and its removal means Near, the system’s little-used social networking vehicle, will lose its functionality altogether. Users may still view YouTube videos or use a map service through the Vita’s web browser.
Near was intended to be a social networking app that allowed users to see who nearby was playing the same game. Users also could leave virtual “game goods” at real world coordinates for others to pick up and use in games.
Sony gave no reason for the removal of the two apps and the end of Near’s functions.
