With Nintendo’s Wii U and Microsoft’s Smart Glass initiatives, it’s not surprising that Sony would find their own second screen solution, this one via a PlayStation app, planned for both iOS and Android devices. The PlayStation App will allow gamers playing Sony’s newly announced PlayStation 4 gaming console to look at in-game maps, buy games from the PlayStation Store while on the go, or watch other gamers play on their own PS4s.

Japanese-based entertainment company, Sony Computer Entertainment, held a press conference today in New York to announce their new console, the sequel to the current PlayStation 3. The PS4, as it’s called, looks to be a step up in both hardware specs and console gaming design, including the PlayStation App, social sharing of games, and some killer-sounding streaming technologies.

No word yet on pricing of the new console, nor even what it looks like. Similarly, the iOS and Android apps are short on release date or pricing details, though it would surprise me if they weren’t free.

The second screen announcement also includes Sony’s own PlayStation Vita portable game player, which will also be able to play anything on the PS4 remotely via the Vita screen, much like the Wii U. See the full announcement below.

PS4 Second Screens
PS4 integrates second screens, including PlayStation®Vita (PS Vita), smartphones and tablets, to wrap gamers in their favorite content wherever they are. A key feature enabled by second screens is “Remote Play” and PS4 fully unlocks its potential by making PS Vita the ultimate companion device. With PS Vita, gamers will be able to seamlessly pull PS4 titles from their living room TVs and play them on PS Vita’s beautiful 5-inch display and intuitive dual analog sticks over Wi-Fi networks It is SCEI’s long-term vision is to make most PS4 titles playable on PS Vita.

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.

• SourceEngadget