Apple's design and cutting edge features are often seen as leading industry. The hardware excellence helped Apple maintain its position as a leader in the smartphone market, and now the tech giant is working on new technology to let people use their phones without touching them.
The company is set to introduce a new feature called Eye Tracking, which is powered by AI, and it will allow iPad and iPhone users to control their devices with just gaze.
The new ground breaking feature is aimed at individuals with physical disabilities, and will use the front-facing camera for setup and calibration without accessing or sharing any data.
Users can navigate using Dwell Control, which tracks how long the eyes focus on various controls, enabling access to physical buttons and gestures. This inclusive design aligns with Apple's longstanding commitment to accessibility, as highlighted by CEO Tim Cook.
Eye Tracking will be integrated into iOS and iPadOS without requiring additional hardware, Apple said.
The company further announced other accessibility-focused updates, including Music Haptics for deaf or hard-of-hearing users, Vocal Shortcuts for launching Siri shortcuts using custom phrases, and a Listen for Atypical Speech feature to recognize a wider range of speech patterns.
Another feature, Vehicle Motion Cues, displays moving dots on device screens to indicate a vehicle's direction, helping alleviate motion sickness. These updates were rolled out ahead of Global Accessibility Awareness Day.