My iPhone 15 Pro Max has had dodgy haptics from VoiceOver for as long as I can remember, honestly, since the beginning of iOS 17, with extreme delays before haptics are registered. But with the latest beta 3 it's just stopped pretending to work and now just doesn't. Like, if I use the test gestures in VoiceOver Settings they play, but in real world use they just aren't working at all for the most part.
Is this just me? It would be easy to mistake this for a hardware issue, except things seem to be fine with VO off, and system haptics don't seem to be affected, as far as I can tell. So, like, what gives? How can VoiceOver have such a profound effect on overall responsiveness due to haptics? Is there really any remedy beyond just turning haptics off and living without them?
Comments
To haptic or not to haptic
While i cannot speak for you, in your current situation, I can say that the problem with haptics from a general point of view, is that every single body who uses a smartphone is so "used to" having haptic feedback, that we all forget there was a time when Haptics did not exist.
Can you live without Haptics? Why yes, yes you can. The question is rather can "you" live without Haptics?
Admittedly Haptics are convenient, and sometimes a more responsive method of alternative feedback to sight, and herein lies the problem; when they work, they are wonderful. however like everything else when they break its like our lives are suddenly over.
I would offer you a few optional suggestions that may or may not work for you.
1. Try disabling System Haptics in Settings > Sounds and Haptics. This will only turn off the non VO Haptics, but it might be useful for troubleshooting, if nothing else.
2. Alternatively, leave System Haptics alone, and disable VOs Haptics in Settings > Accessibility > VoiceOver > Audio > VoiceOver Sounds and Haptics. In the reverse of the above suggestion, System Haptics will remain, but VO Haptics will be disabled. Again, might help. . . .
3. Finally, Disable all Haptics. Everywhere. Chances are there is a single haptic setting within VO that is causing your iPhone to be wonky, and this might be the first step in narrowing that down.
of course, with beta software, it could be something as simple as low system resources or as astronomical as planetary alighment.
Good luck~
Yuck!
Tried turning off all haptics in Settings, Accessibility, Touch, Vibrations turned off. Not doing that again. Perfectly horrible! Those haptics are very reassuring.
And it's clear that VoiceOver is the culprit now. It really is very strange how the Settings app seems to have power to execute the haptics correctly when testing them, but VoiceOver won't. And although it's clear that I can live without those haptics in particular, which I've already dialled down quite substantially, I don't want to lose them--they are unquestionably useful, especially in the absence of sounds. I'm going to shake the lazy sods out of their complacency and get this fixed. This is not going to go unnoticed by many users. Goddammit, will you spare me no peace?
Yes and no
I have had some issues with haptics during this beta but, knock on wood, nowhere near as severe as you by the sound of it. I’m on a 15 Pro.
I just find that occasionally the haptics stop working. I think it’s linked to using particular apps including MoovIt, and/or also listening to audio, but I’m not sure.
To fix it, I just need to turn VoiceOver off and on again.
For me, haptics are really important as I have now disabled most VoiceOver sounds. I find it a nicer experience.
Dave
Haptics {squared}
As much as it irks me to admit, I too use haptics. Though I have some disabled in VO. Same for sound effects i.e. the rather loud sound when your iPhone locks.
Also have typing haptics disabled in Settings > Sounds and Haptics > Keyboard Feedback since VOs KB haptics are sufficient, and there really is no need to double-down on haptics.
Restarting VoiceOver Works
But, sadly, not for very long. It's a good short-term workaround but it's definitely not an acceptable level of performance for a stable release. I've got things as minimal as I can get them across both system and VO, but neither turning haptics off nor reverting to sound would be OK with me. So I'll report the state of play to Apple, encourage all to do likewise. Here's to hoping there's a fix in the near future.
Haptic?
What is that? I have it on yet it does not work. When I get a call, text, email, or whatever. No haptic. Even when I put phone on mute.
@Holger
Do you have Vibration turned off in Accessibility? If so, that will disable haptics system-wide.
Another Interesting Discussion
I upgraded to an iPhone 14 a week ago tomorrow exactly, and tbh I'm a bit daunted by the sheer number of settings on these things. I will definitely turn off system haptics, and just keep the ones on for VoiceOver. Mine seem to work as advertised thus far but who knows? You've all got me curious now. I think I'll turn off VoiceOver sounds too, just to see what happens. But these things are amazing!
Only issue with system haptics
If you disable system haptics, you get no vibration when you plug your iPhone into your charger. Ok, so I said that all kinds of backwards, but you get my meaning. . .
If you disable VO sounds as well, you will have to really pay attention when plugging in your iPhone. 😝
Necessary Tweaks
Apple added a boatload of haptic feedback in, what was it, iOS 17? And when they did that, suddenly taking an interest in what's a sound and what's a haptic became important, because otherwise you'd get a haptic every time you swiped, which was just overkill. So yes, see what you can dial back, what's comfortable for you as sound, what as haptic, and what as both. You'd be surprised. I love physical and sound feedback when I hit a border (thwack), but I hate any feedback just when swiping left/right between elements (because why?).
The buzzing of bees.
if you want to be driven absolutely mad, go into your VO Sounds & Haptics and disable the sound for "No Item Found". Leave the haptics enabled, and from this point on your phone will buss like a swarm of bees every time you use explore by touch. 😇