Apple Brings Eye Tracking & Vehicle Motion Cues to iPhone & iPad

Apple has announced a suite of new accessibility features for its iPhone and iPad devices that will roll out later this year. By leveraging AI and ML, the Cupertino giant has introduced Eye Tracking, Music Haptics, and several other features designed to assist users with physical disabilities.

Eye Tracking

The standout feature, Eye Tracking, will allow users to control their devices using only their eye movements. Apple says its upcoming Eye Tracking feature is powered by artificial intelligence (AI) and on-device machine learning (ML). It utilises the front-facing camera to track and respond to users' eye movements. This enables people with physical disabilities to navigate through apps, select items, and perform gestures like swipes without touching their screens.

Eye Tracking is compatible with iPhones and iPads equipped with an A12 chipset or later. The setup process is quick and straightforward, taking just a few seconds to calibrate the user's eyes with the device and ensure that all data remains securely on the device.

Vehicle Motion Cues

In addition to Eye Tracking, Apple has unveiled Vehicle Motion Cues, which aim to reduce motion sickness for iPhone and iPad users travelling in moving vehicles.

The new feature, which will roll out as part of iOS 18 and iPadOS 18 later this year, uses animated dots around the edges of the device's display to visually represent changes in the vehicle's movement. This simple visual cue eliminates the sensory disconnect that can trigger motion sickness when what you see on the screen doesn't match the motion you feel.

Using built-in sensors, an iPhone or iPad can detect when the user is in a moving vehicle and automatically enable the animated motion cue dots. The translucent dots animate in sync with acceleration, braking, and changes in direction without obstructing the main content on the screen. Users can also manually toggle Vehicle Motion Cues on or off from the Control Center.

Music Haptics, Voice Control, Sound Recognition and more

Apple has also introduced Music Haptics, a feature aimed at users who are deaf or hard of hearing. It uses the Taptic Engine to translate music into tactile sensations, allowing users to experience music through taps, textures, and vibrations. Music Haptics supports millions of songs in the Apple Music catalogue and will be available as an API for developers to integrate into their apps.

Apple's CarPlay is receiving a range of new features, such as Voice Control, which allows users to navigate and control CarPlay apps using only their voice. Sound Recognition provides alerts for important sounds like car horns and sirens to assist drivers or passengers who are deaf or hard of hearing. Additionally, Color Filters and options for Bold Text and Large Text make the CarPlay interface easier to use for those with visual impairments.

Apple's newest product line, Vision Pro, is also receiving an accessibility boost with the introduction of a system-wide live caption feature. It is designed to assist users with hearing difficulties by providing real-time captions across the system.