2 min readTo promote its latest film F1 The Movie, Apple TV+ released an iPhone only trailer complete with rumbling haptics, and it is pretty neat. As you watch the trailer your phone buzzes underneath your fingers. Haptics shift across the screen, following the movement of the cars, intensifying with the revs. The added sensations create an extra immersive layer that had even me - an F1 agnostic - holding my breath.
It is just a two minute demonstration, but it has me considering what extended haptic content could feel like. Versions of this already exist but they all feel gimmicky. I remember multi-dimensional content experiences in arcades and carnivals, where you would be tossed around wearing 3D glasses. Now these are more polished and have extended to mainstream theatres like Event Cinemas. Regardless of whether it is at the Easter Show or a 4DX Event cinema I have always been skeptical of "immersive" theatre. The movement makes it hard to scoff down popcorn, and cinemas are cold enough without an added breeze, but Apple's handheld version hits a sweet spot that gripped me. It is subtle, but effective.
It seems unlikely we will see this kind of immersion translate to a feature length film. The vibrating haptic engine is only featured on the iPhone and in the Apple Watch, and no one wants to watch a two hour film on either of these devices. Even if people were willing, viewers would be expected to hold the phone with two hands for the whole time to get the full experience, which once again isn't conducive with how people watch movies. Even if Apple wanted to add a vibrating haptic engine to the iPad, users would still rest it on a stand for an lengthy watch.
The one way I could see Apple pulling off an extended haptic cut would be using the Vision Pro. Facial haptics would be a weird sensation at first, but it is the only Apple product that permantently touches the user and can be used to watch long form content without inhibiting the viewing experience too much. VisionOS 26 will even allow users to share spatial experiences with other users, so you could have a haptic movie night with a friend, if you've got $12,000 to spare, but I digress.
This haptic trailer is an interesting cross section of Apple's entertainment and technology sectors. Apart from being available on Apple devices, and villains not being allowed to use them, Apple TV+ hasn't really connected with the brand's physical media before. Even if it doesn't lead to further developments in the immersive entertainment space, it is still a compelling cross-pollination.
