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Sony ending PlayStation Vita Maps, near features

YouTube app will also disappear.

Sony has announced that it will end support for the PlayStation Vita's Maps and near features in a forthcoming system update.

Maps will be removed automatically as part of a March firmware patch, while near will lose its ability to obtain locations or display maps at all - effectively killing it, too.

The Vita's YouTube app is also set to be retired. Support will be fully removed from 20th April, although the app will no longer be available to download from today, 28th January.

Vita owners will still be able to watch YouTube clips via their browser, albeit with some minor loss of functionality.

Sony has FAQs for both the YouTube and Maps/near changes, although no reason has been given for the impending removals.

However, it's likely that Sony still pays to license the YouTube app for its device - a cost it may be seeking to be cut considering the numbers of customers using it. The same may also be true of its location-based services.