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ZDNET’s key takeaways
- Android is rolling out a Motion Assist feature.
- The feature uses moving shapes that correlate to car movement.
- Newer Pixel devices are getting the feature first.
If you struggle with motion sickness while looking at your phone in a car, train, or other moving vehicle, there’s finally an answer for Android.
Late last year, reports began surfacing of a motion sickness feature, called Motion Assist, for Android. Thanks to Android Authority, we now know the Android version is finally rolling out on a large scale.
Also: Your iPhone has a secret in-car feature that’s seriously underutilized – here’s how to access it
Like the iPhone version, the feature works by showing visual shapes and patterns that respond to the vehicle’s motion (through your phone’s accelerometer and gyroscope). If you turn left, the shapes move left. If you speed up, the dots move down.
Since motion sickness can happen when your inner ear senses movement but you’re looking at a static screen and your brain gets confused, the idea behind this feature is that visual cues can help your brain. At least for the iPhone, users report that it works really well at reducing nausea while riding in a car.
How to enable Motion Assist for Android
The next Pixel Drop isn’t until September, but Motion Assist is rolling out now. Not every phone has it yet (I didn’t on my Pixel 10 Pro XL) but it has shown up on some Pixel 11 and Pixel 10 devices, so Google is probably starting there. If you don’t see it now, you should soon.
Also: Pixel 11 XL Pro: Google’s big flagship is more Pro than ever, but the camera is no big thing
You can find Motion Assist in your Settings app. Go to your settings, tap your profile picture, and then select “All services.” On that screen, scroll down until you see “Personal & device safety.” If you have the feature, Motion Assist will appear here.
You can set Motion Assist to turn on automatically when it detects motion, or you can place it in a tile on your Quick Settings so you can turn it on whenever you want. Settings inside the app let you choose the opacity, shapes, and color of the pattern you see.
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