If you can't get used to a controller then that's your problem, I constantly switch between my 360, PS3, Wii U and it takes seconds to get used to changing controllers.  Its not hard...

It has software authentication for the controller which means I can't use the chronus max to play with an Xbox controller instead.

http://controllermax.com/products/cronusmax/

Yes I know that the DS4 is a huge improvement but I still don't like it. Sony needs to do a firmware update to get rid of this ASAP. One of the only reasons why I was ever comfortable purchasing a ps3 is because I was able to find an adapter that let me use an xbox 360 controller instead of the dreadful ds3. Hopefully this gets patched because I eventually would like to pick up a next gen console. Sony is my first choice right now but I just don't like their controller, and I'd appreciate the option to use something else.

1) facepalm...    every time i put a new post i look a the quote tree, and if there is more than 3, i cut it back.  Because that the acutally a rule.  its been less enforced with bans recently, buut its still on the books, ive seen people moderated for it, and the mods hate having to cut them for you.  youve been here a while im surprised you dont know this,  but then again im not.

2)  modded controllers..  a modded controller may come out at some point for the hardcore, but the general populus would not want one on the back.  and a touch pad is not buttons, it would make it very akward to get proper control of what you are doing.    there is a reason its not on the back and sony put actual money into figureing out that its not a good idea.

3) its not about making a game that is for the touchpad, its about finding creative ways to use its inputs to enhance gameplay.  This is a very simple and fundamental concept.  and you STILL ignore ff14 and warthunder,  i wonder how many times i can bring up their use until it takes you to actually acknowledge it.  its kind of getting funny at this point.   and naughty dog havent made a ps4 game yet.  sure they made TLOU:R.   but they specifically DIDNT CHANGE ANYTHING  when it came to gameplay,   they are not going to add a new input onto something when they are trying to keep the same experience + graphics.   The fact that you try to bring that up shows you either dont pay any attention to whats going on with sony gaming, or you are intentionally trying to troll.

Actually, you can use a USB keyboard with the PS4. Although, I haven't tried it with other games, you can definetly play Final Fantansy XIV with a keyboard and mouse without ever using a controller.

Putting it on the back would allow it to be used in conjunction with all the other inputs. Having it on the back would be a lot less awkward than having to navigate the overcrowded front of the controller. On the back it would be free from all competition and can own that real estate without having to worry about  options/shared/analog sticks getting in the way.

You have yet to tell me what ff14 and warthunder actually do, so how can I possibly comment? With the killzone example the fact that they were already using those buttons does not prove that touchpad is necessary. If you give devs a controller with 250 buttons they will find a way to use each one. Not all of those uses will be important but they will find a way. But using things just because they are there is the opposite of good design. Truly elegant design comes from limited resources. A good developer doesn't need a million different inputs to create a control scheme that is both robust and intuitive. I don't know what naughty dog will do in the future but I do know that in the past they have said no to gimmicks. They rightly refused to include move support in their games because they were smart enough to realize that move was a joke. I hope they have the same forsight with touchpad controls.

You get keyboard/mouse support on Finaly Fantasy XIV without any adapter? Thats interesting. I doubt that it would work on other games but I haven't tried that myself so I couldn't say.