Sony spent a lot of time at its Future of Playstation conference explaining in detail how Playstation Vita owners will be able to utilize their handheld as another option for experiencing Playstation 4 games.

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On stage, other platforms like Apple's iPhone and iPad and Android handsets were only mentioned in passing. But in Sony Computer Entertainment's official press release more details were provided on what iOS and Android users have in store for them:"A new application from SCE called 'PlayStation App' will enable iPhone, iPad, and Android- based smartphones and tablets to become second screens. Once installed on these devices, users can, for example, see maps on their second screens when playing an adventure game, purchase PS4 games while away from home and download it directly to the console at home, or remotely watch other gamers playing on their devices."The news sounds very similar to Microsoft's SmartGlass initiative , announced at E3 2012.Specific examples and availability details are not yet available. Sony will presumably have more to say about the second screen functionality in key PS4 titles as the console approaches its late 2013 launch.

Justin is Editor of IGN Wireless. He has been reviewing mobile games since the dark days of Java flip phones. You can follow him on Twitter at @ErrorJustin and on IGN