Good news for everyone who struggles with motion sickness while using their phones in the car. Apple is introducing a new feature called Vehicle Motion Cues, designed to help passengers avoid feeling queasy when using their iPhone or iPad on the go. This feature is part of a set of new accessibility updates coming to Apple devices later this year.
Apple explained in a news release that motion sickness often happens because of a conflict between what you see and what you feel. This can make it hard for some people to comfortably use their phones or tablets while riding in a car. To address this, Vehicle Motion Cues will display small animated dots on the edges of the screen. These dots move in response to the car's movements—turning, accelerating, or braking. By mimicking these motions, the dots help the brain align what you're seeing on the screen with the car's movement, reducing the sensory conflict that causes motion sickness.
The dots are designed to be unobtrusive, so they won’t interfere with whatever you’re looking at on your device. The feature can be set to activate automatically since iPhones have built-in sensors that detect when you’re in a moving vehicle. Alternatively, users can turn it on or off through the Control Center.
This update is part of a broader effort by Apple to enhance accessibility features on their devices. Another exciting addition is Eye Tracking, which will allow users with physical disabilities to control their iPhone or iPad using just their eyes.
Apple CEO Tim Cook highlighted the company's dedication to innovation and inclusivity: "We believe deeply in the transformative power of innovation to enrich lives. We’re continuously pushing the boundaries of technology, and these new features reflect our long-standing commitment to delivering the best possible experience to all of our users."
Other upcoming features include Music Haptics, which will help users who are deaf or hard of hearing to experience music through vibrations, and Vocal Shortcuts, which will allow users to assign custom sounds for Siri to understand and perform tasks. Additionally, the Listen for Atypical Speech feature will enable devices to learn and recognize diverse speech patterns, improving speech recognition for a wider range of users.
