Music haptics: iPhone vibrates to music – soon only to singing

Apple builds functions from the area of ​​accessibility – in German a little bumpy called “operating aid” – usually initially in iPhones, iPads, Apple Watch or Mac to help people with handicap. But then it can be found quickly that they address much wider target groups, even if they are well hidden in the system at first. A current example is the so -called musical haptics.

This has already existed since iOS 18 was available last autumn and has a remarkable feature in Apple’s streaming apps Apple Music and Apple Music Classical. Once activated in the area of ​​operating aidan iPhone music no longer only gives again via the loudspeaker or connected headphones, but also by haptics. The tattic engine integrated in the iPhone, the small vibration engine, “plays” the respective music – and that is surprisingly accurate.

Songs no longer only experience via sound

In practice, this means that you can not only hear your favorite song, but also feel when you are in your hand. The music is then (also) reproduced as a knock and reproduced in the form of vibration textures. This affects not only the rhythm, but also other song components such as the chorus or a guitar solo. Music haptics are supported from the iPhone 12 (all models) up to the iPhone 16 (all models including 16e)-and if you use Apple’s music app, you should definitely try out the function.

So Apple will first enable the haptic “experience”-for example to reproduce the entire song by vibration or just the voice. Furthermore, the intensity of the vibrations, knocking and textures can be determined. At the moment there are no possibilities here, music haptics are either switched on or switched off.

Interface for apps such as Spotify

At the moment, music haptics also only support Apple’s own apps. However, Apple has implemented an interface with which third-party programs such as Spotify would also have access if they want to offer this. However, the minimum requirement is that the iPhone currently has a network connection, be it via WLAN or mobile communications.

Unfortunately, Apple does not yet provide for a “download” of the haptics structures. This would be another interesting feature. Apple has not yet made any information on how strongly the musical haptics on the battery of the iPhone have.