# Apple devices

Apple has integrated haptic feedback into a wide range of devices, providing immersive and responsive user experiences. The capability to playback custom haptics vary between devices:

iPhone
Fully adjustable on devices starting iPhone 8 and newer
iPad
No haptic playback
Apple Watch
Limited to provided presets by Apple
MacBook
Not customizable

# Playback

To experience and evaluate haptics on any iOS device, download and install the Hapticlabs player App from the Appstore. It allows live playback of tracks you created in Hapticlabs Studio and also features a selection of presets.

  1. Download and open the Hapticlabs mobile app from the App Store.
  2. Turn on Bluetooth on your computer and iOS device.
  3. In Hapticlabs Studio, click "Select Output Device" and choose your iOS device from the list.
  4. Wait for the connection to establish.
  5. Create or select a track and press play to feel the haptics on your mobile device in real-time.

# Taptic Engine

Apple's Taptic Engine is the heart of haptic feedback in iOS devices. This advanced actuator can produce a wide range of tactile sensations, from subtle taps to more pronounced vibrations. Unlike traditional vibration motors, the Taptic Engine uses wideband linear resonant actuator (LRA) technology, allowing for precise, customizable, and rapid haptic responses. The Taptic Engine debuted with the first-generation Apple Watch and iPhone 6s, and has since become a standard feature in most Apple mobile devices. It works in tandem with the iOS haptic feedback framework, allowing for seamless integration of touch sensations in apps and user interfaces.

# AHAP file format

Apple's AHAP (Apple Haptic and Audio Pattern) format is a framework designed to store and define haptic feedback patterns. This format allows developers to create rich, detailed haptic experiences that enhance user interaction with Apple devices. Hapticlabs Studio allows you to create and export .AHAP files, ready for implementation without writing a single line of code. Navigate to Menu - File - Export as AHAP (see AHAP export).

# Limitations

The framework limits the available frequency bands to 80-230HZ. When connecting an iOS device to Hapticlabs Studio, these limits are automatically indicated on the frequency sliders for both vibration and pulse blocks.

# Unique features

The following features are only available with selected mobile devices and not the DevKit.

# Audio playback

The AHAP framework offers the possibility to play audio and haptic synchronised, essential for a great user experience. You can add audio blocks to any track and reference a .WAV audio file. Large audio files are compressed to reduce transmission time, however the original and uncompressed file is used when exporting a track to the .AHAP format.

To align haptic and audio events, you can make use of a stereo-track inside Hapticlabs Studio. Create two separate tracks, one containing the audio file and a second containing the haptic events.

# Combine tracks

You can create advanced haptic experiences by combining two tracks using stereo tracks in Hapticlabs Studio.

To do so, create a new stereo-track and select two existing single-tracks as reference. These tracks can include any block type such as vibration, pulse, or audio. This feature allows you to play eg. pulses and vibrations simultaneously or cross-fade between existing patterns.

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