On May 16th, 2024, Apple announced a new variety of accessibility features that would be “coming later this year” to iPhones and iPads, expected to be integrated into iOS 18 and iPadOS 18, both scheduled to be announced next month. Perhaps the most prominent feature is one that allows eye tracking, which will work on iPhones and iPads.
More About Controlling iPhone or iPad Using Eye Tracking
Users will be able to access their devices with their eyes, as the name implies. This is primarily meant for individuals with physical disabilities, but it is also open to anyone. AI technology will power the eye tracking feature, which will contain a quick calibration process done with the front-facing camera before it can be used. Importantly, all data used for eye tracking will remain on the device, employing on-device machine learning.
No additional hardware or accessories are needed, and the eye tracking is supported with all apps. This function allows the users to move the eye among the elements of the app, and each element is activated via Dwell Control, which means that one must focus on an item for a determined amount of time. Moreover, also followed Eye Tracker, The Watch, and Music.js.
Moreover, Apple added Music Haptics, double uses the Taptic engine of iPhones to provide taps, textures, and sophisticated vibrations in sync with live music. This was an Apple Music exclusive but will continue to develop to work for all apps through the same API. Vehicle Motion Cues was another notable feature introduced to minimize the possibility of motion illness when a passenger uses an iPhone or iPad in a moving car.
This feature will display animated dots on the screen edges to indicate changes in vehicle motion, though the precise mechanism for reducing motion sickness is not fully explained. Further enhancements include Voice Control for CarPlay, enabling users to navigate CarPlay and control apps using voice commands, Sound Recognition to alert individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing to car horns and sirens, and Color Filters to assist individuals with color blindness.
