Now the touch pad will possibly add unique ways to play a game and what not, but it just came to me the real reason why the PS4 has the touch pad.  Maybe the touch pad is really on the PS4 controller to stop the release of third pary controllers.  They don't allow the PS3 controller to work on the PS4 because no touch pad, so maybe they're requiring the touch pad to be included in order for them to release the controller, and maybe manufacturing the touch pad in limited supply won't make the third parties much money per sale. 

I thought of this when reading yet another article that mentioned the light on the PS4 controller wasting battery life, and thought.  Well, maybe they won't include that light on a third party controller.  Then it came to me that maybe there won't even be third party controllers.

I just figured it was easier than looking at two screens at once and it could mimic Wii U functions if that console were to ever take off.

You're not looking at 2 screens at once, but this.

The touchpad hasn't really added much to gaming, but it's unobtrusive so I don't mind it. Though I don't see how it would stop 3rd party controllers. They'll just cheap out on it like all 3rd party controllers.

Touch pads are really easy/cheap to manufacture, even some $20 keyboards have one.

Not gonna stop 3rd party. The touchpad on the DS4 is already quite cheap, price and quality wise.

i doubt it is, other than some of the points other people made in this thread, i doubt third party controllers really sell that much.

Maybe its for Playstation Now, so that when you are playing on your PC you can use it as a mouse :O

I've got a third party wireless pad on ps3 that was cheap and it needs a USB dongle to work. There was an earlier version that worked directly with PS3 but a firmware update removed compatibility with it. I think Sony are keen to prevent third parties making controllers unless they allow it. Mostly I think they have been unique controllers that have been allowed which offer something slightly different than the regular sony dualshock.

I would guess the normal procedure is a hardware manufacturer submits their product to Sony, Sony decide whether it will be licensed for use and if they agree the hardware manufacturer pays Sony a royalty on each sold. Sony then fully supports that product as compatible. I'm sure Sony makes more money making the product than receiving licensing fees so would likely prefer to keep the new dual shock as the main controller for the ps4.

It's because touch panels have become so cheap, I'm more surprised the One doesn't have one. It's perfect for mouse style cursor movement.

Supposedly they briefly considered an entire touch screen, but decided against it because of costs. I think that was a good move, if you really want the second screen, that's what the optional Vita is for. I wish Nintendo followed suit with stream to 3DS rather than a mandatory Wii U pad that's only required for stuff like W101 and Nintendo Land that really went out of their way to find a use for it.